[ad. med.L. superfrontāle: see SUPER- and FRONTAL sb.]
1. [SUPER- 3.] A covering of silk or stuff hanging over the upper edge of an altar frontal.
1858. Direct. Anglic. (ed. J. Purchas), 5. The slab of the Altar should be covered with the cere-cloth, which in its turn is covered by the superfrontal, which hangs down about ten inches below.
1903. Westm. Gaz., 7 Sept., 10/2. A lady has presented to St. Paul’s Cathedral a magnificent frontal and superfrontal.
2. [SUPER- 1 d.] A dossal.
[1844. Pugin, Gloss. Eccl. Orn., s.v. Frontal, A piece of richly embroidered stuff was also frequently hung above the altar, called a Super-frontale, or upper Frontal, being in fact a low dossell.]
1887. Hook’s Ch. Dict., Super-frontal. I. Originally a decoration attached to the wall behind and above the altar.
