Meanings
nouncresselle (plural cresselles)
plural cresselles
- historicalA wooden rattle formerly used as a substitute for a bell in the Roman Catholic church.
Analarin, a priest, spoke of boxwood rattles, which were used to announce the clergy from the ninth century. The crécelle, or 'cressel', was once used in Roman Catholic churches during Passion Week instead of a bell.
1971, Gwen White, Antique Toys And Their Background, page 36
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Frenchcrécelle“rattle”
- Englishcresselle
French crécelle (“rattle”).
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
cresselle. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cresselle
MLA
“cresselle.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cresselle. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cresselle,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cresselle.
Source: cresselle on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.