Pauldron
/ˈpɔːl.drən/noun
A piece of armor that protects the shoulder.
Did you know?Pauldron entered English through French and ultimately comes from a medieval name-form related to Paul, showing how a warrior’s shoulder guard can carry a saint’s name into the battlefield.
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle English
English
pauldron
“a shoulder defense in armor”
Old French
FR
pauldron
“shoulder armor”
Medieval Latin
ML
pauldrum
“shoulder piece or armor part”
Latin
LA
Paulus
“a Roman family name, later the name Paul”
Ancient Roman / Late Antique
LA
paullus
“small, little”