aumônier

chaplain

noun oh-moh-NYEH Rare

Usage Note

Aumônier originally referred to a cleric responsible for distributing alms (aumône), and the two words share the same root. Today an aumônier is a chaplain attached to a hospital, prison, school, or military unit. The feminine form is aumônière, though the word is rarer in that form; aumônière also independently means a small drawstring purse.

Examples

"L'aumônier rend visite aux prisonniers."

Natural Translation

The chaplain visits the prisoners.

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