brassard

brassard

See also: Brassard

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French brassard, from bras (“arm”). The form brasset is attested since at least 1676[1] (Scots brassat is attested since 1590); brassart since at least 1736,[2] brassard since at least 1788.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /bɹəˈsɑːd/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /bɹəˈsɑɹd/, /ˈbɹæs.ɑɹd/
• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)d

Noun

brassard (plural brassards)

1. (historical) An item of plate armor that protects the arm.

   Coordinate term: bracer

2. An insignia or band worn around the upper arm.
   • 1977, Alistair Horne, A Savage War of Peace, New York Review Books 2006, page 26:

     Muslims found not wearing the white brassards as prescribed by the army were simply despatched on the spot.

Alternative forms

• brassart, brasset

Related terms

• bracciale, bracelet, bracer

Translations

armor

Finnish: hihamerkki (fi) Galician: brafoneira f Indonesian: brakiumo Romanian: brasardă (ro) f

References

1. Elisha Coles, An English Dictionary: explaining the difficult terms (1676): "Brassets, s. armor for the Arms."
2. Nathan Bailey, other editions Dictionarium Britannicum: Or a More Compleat Universal Etymological English Dictionary (1736):

   • BRA'SSETS, Armour for the Arms, Fr.

     BRA'SSICA [brassarts, F. braccialetti, It. braçales, Sp.] Botany, Cole wort; also Colly Flower, L.

     [interpolation of the etymology / cognates into the next entry sic]

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French

Etymology

From bras +‎ -ard (since at least 1549 in the spelling brassar, 1562 in the spelling brassart, and 1575 in the spelling brassard). Displaced the apparently slightly older brassal (1546), from Italian bracciale (or, less likely, Provençal brassal).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bʁa.saʁ/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

brassard m (plural brassards)

1. armguard, brassard
2. armband
3. bracer

Further reading

• “brassard”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.