Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An instrument, such as a brush or a perforated container, used for sprinkling holy water.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Same as aspersorium, 1.
  • noun A genus of mollusks, the watering-pot shells, of a family Aspergillidæ: a synonym of Brechites.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun an implement, in the form of a brush, or of a rod with a perforated container, for sprinkling holy water; a holy water sprinkler

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[New Latin, from Latin aspergere, to sprinkle; see asperse.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin aspergillum, from aspergō ("sprinkle").

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Examples

  • The aspergillum is the attribute of saints expert at exorcising demons.

    A Handbook of Symbols in Christian Art Gertrude Grace Sill 1975

  • The aspergillum is the attribute of saints expert at exorcising demons.

    A Handbook of Symbols in Christian Art Gertrude Grace Sill 1975

  • Oddly enough morning stars have other names as well, being called “holy water sprinklers” due to the fact that they somewhat resemble the aspergillum used by the church to sprinkle parishioners with holy water, and “goedendag” or “good day”.

    SciFi, Fantasy & Horror Collectibles - Part 1043 2009

  • (Priest replaces sword, Deacon dips aspergillum in asperging bowl of Witch Water, while Priest begins incantation for The Asperges.)

    The Church of Satan Protestant | Disinformation 2008

  • (Priest replaces sword, Deacon dips aspergillum in asperging bowl of Witch Water, while Priest begins incantation for The Asperges.)

    Church of Satan Protestants | Disinformation 2008

  • Yet imagine if Mr. Robinson had written Variable Saint, and it was the same story with one detail changed: in this future, it was discovered that the laws of high energy physics required that a Roman Catholic priest in full canonicals, with miter and alb, had to bless the drive core and sprinkle it with holy water out of an aspergillum before it could ignite!

    MIND MELD: Is Science Fiction Antithetical to Religion? 2008

  • Father also has this amusing video of a Bishop who confused the microphone and the aspergillum.

    Need for a course in modern liturgy 2009

  • Father also has this amusing video of a Bishop who confused the microphone and the aspergillum.

    Archive 2009-08-01 2009

  • "On Shrove Tuesday he the Chaplain will institute a search in the attics to find out where the thurible, incense boat, incense, charcoal and aspergillum have been packed away"': page 218.

    Archive 2008-05-04 papabear 2008

  • Two heralds kept watch day and night, and offered the aspergillum to anyone wishing to sprinkle the effigy with holy water.

    Archive 2008-08-01 Julianne Douglas 2008

Comments

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  • (n): a brush for sprinkling holy water.

    January 18, 2009

  • Also called an aspersorium.

    January 18, 2009