Pronunciation: ˌ san-b ə - ' n ē -( ˌ )t ō , ˌ sam-
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -tos
Etymology: Spanish sambenito, from San Benito Saint Benedict of Nursia
Date: circa 1560
1 : a sackcloth coat worn by penitents on being reconciled to the church
2 : a Spanish Inquisition garment resembling a scapular and being either yellow with red crosses for the penitent or black with painted devils and flames for the impenitent condemned to an auto-da-fé