netherfront

noun

netherfront

noun

Etymology From nether- + front.

1

A cloth hanging that veils the front of the altar.

  • The most noteworthy altar-cloths were a set given by Alice Chester, the overfront representing our Lord rising out of the Sepulchre, sometimes called our Lord's Pity, with a netherfront and two curtains all "of one work."1904, Transactions - Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, page 258:
  • To the lowest linen cloth was attached, a band of rich material, that hung over the front of the altar and hid the attachment of the netherfront.1904, Essays on Ceremonial, page 7:
1 more example
  • It seems quite possible that the 'greater sorte' of silk pictures in particular were intended to adorn an altar, either as an overfront, a netherfront or even a reredos.2016, Sarah Hamilton, Andrew Spicer, Defining the Holy:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.