The
cowl (from the Latin , meaning "a hood") is an item of clothing consisting of a long, hooded garment with wide sleeves. Originally it may have referred simply to the hooded portion of a cloak. In contemporary usage, however, it is distinguished from a cloak or cape (
cappa) by the fact that it refers to an entire closed garment. Today it is worn primarily by most
Catholic and
Anglican monks when participating in
liturgical services.