Encheirion, Chr. The napkin with which the priest wipes his hands; worn at the girdle.
Encoignure, Fr. A table made with an angle to fit into a corner.
Encolpia, Chr. (lit. worn on the breast, or from the Gr. ἐγκολπίζω, to contain in the womb). (1) Small caskets containing relics or a copy of the Gospels, worn by the early Christians suspended from the neck. (See Epomadion.) Their use is of the highest antiquity, and specimens have been found in the tombs of the ancient cemetery of the Vatican, belonging to the 4th century. These were square in form, having on one side the sacred monogram ΙΧΡ for ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ between the letters Α and Ω. (2) The pectoral crosses worn by bishops are also called encolpia. Reliquaries in the form of a cross are first mentioned by Gregory the Great. He sent one of them to Queen Theodelinda. (Martigny.)
Encomboma, Gr. (i. e. girt on). A Greek apron, tied round the waist, worn chiefly by young maidens and by slaves to keep the tunic clean.
Encyclical Letters. (1) Chr. Letters “sent round” to all who should read them, and not addressed to any particular person (from the members of a council, &c.). (2) Gen. The same words, γράμματα ἐγκύκλια, apply to the subjects which the Greeks included in the “circle of the sciences,” or encyclopædia.
Encysted. Enclosed in a cyst.
Endecagon (ἕνδεκα, eleven; γωνία, an angle). A plane figure having eleven sides and eleven angles.
Endorse, Her. A diminutive of the Pale (q.v.), one-fourth of its width.
Endothys. (See Endytis.)
Endromis, Gr. and R. (δρόμος, a course or running). In Greek this name is given to hunting boots of Cretan origin, such as Diana is represented wearing by the Greek sculptors. Among the Romans the endromis was an ample blanket of coarse wool, introduced from Gaul, in which athletes wrapped themselves when they were heated with the exercises. Endromis Tyria was the name given to a large woollen wrap much finer than the ordinary endromis, and which was worn by the Roman ladies after their gymnastic exercises.