I. noun
also mi·tre ˈmīd.ə(r), ˈmītə-
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English mitre, from Middle French, from Old French, from Latin mitra headband, turban, from Greek mitra, mitrē; akin to Sanskrit mitra friend, Avestan mithra friend, treaty, Old Persian Mithra Mithras, god of light and defender of truth
1. : any of various turbans, tall caps, or other pieces of headgear: as
a. : a headband worn by women of ancient Greece
b. : the official headdress of the ancient Jewish high priest consisting of a linen turban having attached at the front a gold plate with the inscription “Holy to the Lord”
c. : a liturgical headdress that is worn by bishops and abbots and usually has high stiff back and front pieces curving to a point and two lappets hanging from the back, is made of white silk or linen or of cloth of gold, and may be plain, orphreyed, or richly ornamented
2.
[perhaps from miter turban]
a.
(1) : a surface forming the beveled end or edge of a piece where a miter joint is made
(2) : miter joint
(3) : miter square
b. : a corner or angle joining made by seaming on a diagonal line from the inside angle to the outside point and used especially in fitting facings or hems and in matching stripes in sewing
3. or miter shell
a. usually mitre : a snail of the genus Mitra or family Mitridae
b. : the shell of such a snail
4. : a piece (as of eaves trough or pipe insulation) made with a right angle bend to fit a corner or elbow
install an inside miter below the valley
[s]miter.jpg[/s] [
miter 2a1: 1 plain, 2 milled, 3 rabbeted
]
II. verb
also mitre “
( mitered also mitred ; mitered also mitred ; mitering also mitring -īd.əriŋ, -ītər, -ī.tr- ; miters also mitres )
Etymology: Middle English mitren, from Medieval Latin mitrare, from mitra liturgical miter, from Latin
transitive verb
1. : to raise to a rank privileged to wear a miter : confer a miter on
mitered some of the less radical Protestant leaders — George Willison
2.
[ miter (I) (joint)]
a. : to match together in a miter joint
miter the ends of the boards
: bevel the ends of for the purpose of matching together at an angle
miter the side pieces
: bring together at an angle without overlapping
miter the cover materials at the inside corner of the book
b. : to join (lines of a cover decoration) accurately without overrunning at corners or crosslines
c. : to sew together in a miter
stripes are mitered to the waist — Women's Wear Daily
d. : to square off (a bottom corner of a bed sheet) by making a triangular fold and tucking it under
intransitive verb
: to form a miter joint : meet in a miter joint