aiguillette

English

Early 19th century Russian military officer wearing a uniform featuring aiguillettes

Alternative forms

• aglet, aiglet

Etymology

Borrowed from French aiguillette, from Middle French aiguillette, from Old French aguillete. Doublet of aglet and aiglet.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌeɪɡwɪˈlɛt/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

aiguillette (plural aiguillettes)

1. An ornamental braided cord with decorative metal tips worn on uniforms.
   • 1971, Gwen White, Antique Toys And Their Background, page 191:

     Lancers wore Dragoon jackets with embroidered cuffs and collars, enormous epaulettes and an aiguillette. They wore very high Polish caps with square crowns, with a brass plate in front and topped with a plume.

2. Alternative form of aiglet (“metal tip on a ribbon or cord that facilitated lacing two parts of a garment together”)

Derived terms

• aiguilletted

 

Translations

ornamental braided cord

• Bulgarian: акселба́нт m (akselbánt)
• German: Achselschnur f, Fangschnur (de) f, Schulterschnur f, Feldachselstück n, Achselband n
• Kashubian: akselband m, remny sznurk m
• Polish: akselbant (pl) m, sznur galowy m
• Spanish: cordón (es) m, cordón militar m

References

• Medieval Costume and Fashion, by Herbert Norris, Courier Dover Publications, 1999, p. 365.

French

Etymology

From aiguille +‎ -ette.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛ.ɡɥi.jɛt/ ~ /e.ɡɥi.jɛt/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

aiguillette f (plural aiguillettes)

1. ribbon; tie; cord
2. needle
3. needlefish

Derived terms

• aiguillette baronne

Further reading

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

Middle French

Etymology

From Old French aguillete; equivalent to aiguille +‎ -ette.

Noun

aiguillette f (plural aiguillettes)

1. ribbon; tie; cord

Descendants

• French: aiguillette
• → English: aiglet