tondere

Tondere is a Latin verb that translates to "to shear," "to cut," or "to clip." In ancient Roman society, it was a common term associated with various aspects of daily life and agriculture. The most frequent application of tondere referred to the shearing of sheep to obtain wool. This was a crucial activity for the Roman economy, as wool was a primary material for clothing and textiles. The process of shearing, or tondures, was often done seasonally and involved specialized tools and techniques.

Beyond sheep, tondere could also describe the cutting of hair, particularly for men and boys. While women's hairstyles were often elaborate and involved more complex styling, men's hair was generally kept shorter and more practical. Barbers, or tonsores, would perform this service. The verb could also extend to the trimming of hedges or other plants in gardens and agricultural settings, indicating a general sense of pruning or shaping vegetation. In a broader sense, tondere implied a reduction or removal of excess, whether it be wool, hair, or plant growth. The concept of tondere, therefore, encompasses practical activities related to animal husbandry, personal grooming, and horticultural maintenance within the Roman world.