Cuisse
/kwɪs/noun
A piece of armor worn to protect the thigh.
Did you know?In medieval armor, cuisses were often paired with poleyns, creating a flexible defense from the hip down to the knee without completely restricting movement.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
coxa
“Hip or thigh; the source of the later French armor term.”
Late Latin
Latin
coxa
“Hip or upper thigh, continuing the anatomical sense.”
Old French
Old French
cuisse
“Thigh; descended through popular Latin from Latin coxa.”
14th Century
Middle English
cuisse
“A protective plate or defense for the thigh.”
Modern English
English
cuisse
“A piece of armor protecting the thigh.”