[F. soutane († sotane, sottane), ad. It. sottana (med.L. sutana, subtana), f. sotto:—L. subtus under. Cf. SOTANA, -ANE.]
1. A long buttoned gown or frock, with sleeves, forming the ordinary outer garment of Roman Catholic ecclesiastics, and worn under the vestments in religious services; a cassock.
In quot. 1838 erroneously applied to the COTTA.
1838. Miss Pardoe, River & Desart, II. 149. The officiating priests were gorgeous in their crimson robes and point-lace soutanes.
1855. Kingsley, Westw. Ho! II. iii. 85. On her knees lay the head of a man of middle age, in the long soutane of a Romish priest.
1876. C. M. Davies, Unorth. Lond., 335. He [the preacher] was clad in the conventional Hindoo coat, long as a Ritualist’s soutane.
2. transf. A wearer of the soutane; a priest.
1890. Times, 19 Dec., 7/2. A confederacy of soutanes and petticoats may do much.
