Illustration of epaulet
- E epaulet
epaulet
noun
ep·au·let
ˌe-pə-ˈlet 
ˈe-pə-ˌlet,
-lət
variants
or less commonly epaulette
: something that ornaments or protects the shoulder: such as
a
: an ornamental fringed shoulder pad formerly worn as part of a military uniform
b
: an ornamental strip or loop sewn across the shoulder of a dress or coat
Did you know?
Epaulet Has French and Latin Roots
The epaulet gets its name from what it covers - the shoulder. It comes from the French word épaulette, the diminutive of "épaule," meaning shoulder. (Another accepted spelling of the English word - "epaulette" - mirrors the French.) "Épaule" itself, though, comes from the Latin word spatha, meaning "spoon" or "sword." This Latin word (which traces back to Greek spathē, meaning "blade of a sword" or "oar") is also the root of the word spade - as in the playing card suit. (The digging implement "spade" is also a relative though the connection is less direct.)
Examples of epaulet in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Indonesian military chief General Wiranto (L) fixes Prabowo's epaulets at a military ceremony in Jakarta on May 28, 1998.
—
Charlie Campbell / Jakarta, TIME, 14 Oct. 2024
This season was no different: lime green raincoats with epaulets and puffy pockets were perfect for a rainy spring day, while airy bouclé tanks came with hoods and scarves, allowing the wearer to adjust for the warmest or coldest of days.
—Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 17 Sep. 2024
So Fitoussi established a subliminal throughline starting with the intimidatingly icy all-white outfit Camille wears to greet Emily in Chamonix: an oversize Frankie Shop wool coat with epaulets, Moncler moon boots and gloves, and a Balmain sweater with a sleek, sinister-looking hood.
—Fawnia Soo Hoo, refinery29.com, 12 Sep. 2024
To this day, many contemporary models feature epaulets that would have originally been used to suspend gloves and whistles, and D-rings that could have held grenades.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
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Charlie Campbell / Jakarta, TIME, 14 Oct. 2024
This season was no different: lime green raincoats with epaulets and puffy pockets were perfect for a rainy spring day, while airy bouclé tanks came with hoods and scarves, allowing the wearer to adjust for the warmest or coldest of days.
—Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 17 Sep. 2024
So Fitoussi established a subliminal throughline starting with the intimidatingly icy all-white outfit Camille wears to greet Emily in Chamonix: an oversize Frankie Shop wool coat with epaulets, Moncler moon boots and gloves, and a Balmain sweater with a sleek, sinister-looking hood.
—Fawnia Soo Hoo, refinery29.com, 12 Sep. 2024
To this day, many contemporary models feature epaulets that would have originally been used to suspend gloves and whistles, and D-rings that could have held grenades.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for epaulet
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Dictionary Entries Near epaulet
Cite this Entry
“Epaulet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epaulet. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
epaulet
noun
ep·au·let
variants
also epaulette
ˌep-ə-ˈlet
ˈep-ə-ˌlet
: a shoulder ornament on a uniform especially of a military or naval officer
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