Bouclier
/buːˈkliːər/noun
A shield, especially one depicted in heraldry or used as a defensive emblem.
Did you know?Its ancestor referred not to a shield itself, but to the cheek-piece or cheek strap of a helmet, showing how one protective object gradually lent its name to another.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
bucca
“Cheek; the side of the face”
Classical Latin
Latin
buccula
“Little cheek; a cheek strap or cheek-piece of a helmet”
Late Latin
Latin
buccularius
“Related to a cheek-piece or helmet protection”
11th–12th Century
Old French
bocle
“The boss, or raised central fitting, of a shield”
12th–13th Century
Old French
boclier
“Shield, especially a shield equipped with a central boss”
Modern French
French
bouclier
“Shield; a defensive or protective emblem”
Modern English
English
bouclier
“A shield, chiefly in heraldic or specialized usage”
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