Tonsuring refers to the act of shaving or cutting the hair, especially from the head, as a religious or cultural practice. Some synonymous terms for this include "shaving", "shearing", "cropping", "clipping", "trimming" and "cutting". Other words that can be used as synonyms for tonsuring include "hedging", "pruning", "scything", "lacerating" and "mowing". However, it should be kept in mind that each of these words may have slightly different connotations and contexts of use. Regardless of the term used, tonsuring continues to be an important part of various religious and cultural rituals around the world.