asperges

 
Pronunciation: /əˈspəːdʒiːz/

noun

[mass noun] Christian Church
  • the rite of sprinkling holy water at the beginning of the Mass, still used occasionally in Catholic churches.
  • [count noun]another term for aspergillum.

Origin:

late 16th century: the first word of the Latin text of Psalms 50(51):7 (literally 'thou shalt purge', but translated in the Authorized Version as 'purge me'), recited before mass during the sprinkling of holy water