Nun vs. Wimple

By Jaxson

Main Difference

The main difference between Nun and Wimple is that the Nun is a member of a religious community of women and Wimple is a ancient form of female headdress

  • Nun

    A nun is a member of a religious community of women, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery. Communities of nuns exist in numerous religious traditions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Jainism, and Taoism.

    In the Buddhist tradition, female monastics are known as Bhikkhuni, and take several additional vows compared to male monastics (bhikkhus). Nuns are most common in Mahayana Buddhism, but have more recently become more prevalent in other traditions.

    Within Christianity, women religious, known as nuns or religious sisters, are found in Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran traditions among others. Though the terms are often used interchangeably, nuns historically take solemn vows and live a life of prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent, while sisters take simple vows and live an active vocation of prayer and charitable works in areas such as education and healthcare. Examples include the monastic Order of Saint Clare founded in 1212 in the Franciscan tradition, or the Missionaries of Charity founded in 1950 by Mother Teresa to care for people living in grave poverty.

  • Wimple

    A wimple is a medieval form of female headdress, formed of a large piece of cloth worn around the neck and chin, and covering the top of the head. Its use developed in early medieval Europe. At many stages of medieval Christian culture it was unseemly for a married woman to show her hair. A wimple might be elaborately starched, and creased and folded in prescribed ways, and later elaborated versions were supported on wire or wicker framing, such as the cornette.

    Italian women abandoned their head cloths in the 15th century, or replaced them with transparent gauze, and showed their elaborate braids. Both elaborate braiding and elaborately laundered clothes demonstrated status, in that such grooming was being performed by others. Today the wimple is worn by certain nuns who retain a traditional habit.

Wikipedia
  • Nun (noun)

    A member of a Christian religious community of women who live by certain vows and usually wear a habit, those living together in a cloister.

  • Nun (noun)

    A member of a similar female community in other confessions.

  • Nun (noun)

    A prostitute.

  • Nun (noun)

    A kind of pigeon with the feathers on its head like the hood of a nun.

  • Nun (noun)

    The fourteenth letter of many Semitic alphabets/abjads (Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic and others).

  • Wimple (noun)

    A cloth which usually covers the head and is worn around the neck and chin. It was worn by women in medieval Europe and is still worn by nuns in certain orders.

  • Wimple (noun)

    A fold or pleat in cloth.

  • Wimple (noun)

    A ripple, as on the surface of water.

  • Wimple (noun)

    A curve or bend.

  • Wimple (noun)

    A flag or streamer.

  • Wimple (verb)

    To cover with a wimple.

  • Wimple (verb)

    To draw down; to lower, like a veil.

  • Wimple (verb)

    To cause to appear as if laid in folds or plaits; to cause to ripple or undulate.

    “The wind wimples the surface of water.”

  • Wimple (verb)

    To flutter.

Wiktionary
  • Nun (noun)

    a member of a religious community of women, typically one living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

  • Nun (noun)

    any of a number of birds whose plumage resembles a nun’s habit, especially an Asian mannikin.

  • Nun (noun)

    a pigeon of a breed with a crest on its neck.

Oxford Dictionary

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