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[[Image:Death of St Bede.jpg|thumb|270px|''The Death of St. [[Bede]]'', the monastic clergy are wearing (long) surplices over their [[cowl]]s]]
The '''surplice''' ([[Late Latin]] ''superpelliceum'', from ''super'', "over" and ''pellis'', "fur") is a non-liturgical [[vestment]] used by in traditional Western worship. It continues in use by various Christian communions of the West (particularly the [[Roman Catholic Church]]), as well as in the Orthodox Church's [[Western Rite]].
The surplice has the form of a tunic of white linen or cotton material. It was originally a long garment with open sleeves reaching nearly to the ground, as it remains in the Anglican and other English traditions. In the Roman Catholic tradition after the [[schism]] , it became shorter (barely to the hips), had closed sleeves, square shoulders and often features lace decoration. Sometimes the Roman Catholic-style surplice is referred to with the Medieval Latin term ''cotta'' [meaning 'cut-off' in Italian], as it is derived from the cut-off alb.
