misericord: Meaning and Definition of

mis•er•i•cord

Pronunciation: (miz"ur-i-kôrd', mi-zer'i-kôrd"), [key]
— n.
  1. a room in a monastery set apart for those monks permitted relaxation of the monastic rule.
  2. a small projection on the underside of a hinged seat of a church stall, which, when the seat is lifted, gives support to a person standing in the stall.
  3. a medieval dagger, used for the mercy stroke to a wounded foe.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.