epaulette

• epaulet

From French épaulette, from épaule (“shoulder”) +‎ -ette (diminutive).

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛpəlɛt/, /ˌɛpəˈlɛt/

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epaulette (plural epaulettes)

1. An ornamentation, worn on the shoulders of a military uniform, as a sign of rank.

   Synonyms: shoulder board, shoulder mark, shoulder strap

   • 1903 September 28, Henry James, The Ambassadors, London: Methuen & Co. […], →OCLC:

     He would have answered for it at the end of a quarter of an hour that some of the glass cases contained swords and epaulettes of ancient colonels and generals; medals and orders once pinned over hearts that had long since ceased to beat; […]

2. A similar piece of trimming on a lady’s dress.
3. A plate on the anterior wings of some insects.

   Synonym: tegula

4. The red patch on the shoulders of a red-winged blackbird.

• epaulette mate
• epaulette shark

• shoulder pad
• spaulder, pauldron, epauliere, espauliere

• epaulette on Wikipedia.Wikipedia