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The Lexis of Cloth and Clothing Project
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breastplate

, breast + plate.
Searchable Lemmata: brestplate (ME), brestblad (W), brustplat (Corn), breastplate (MdE).
Alternate Forms: breistplait (OScots).

    Definitions and Defining Citations:

1a(n.) Armour; piece of armour covering and protecting the chest.(circa 1385 still in current use)
1. [2030] ... Depeynted ... Saugh I ... the sharpe swerd ouer his heed Hangynge by a subtil twynes threed ... Som wol ben armed in an haubergeoun [vrr. habergeon, haberioun, habirioun, haburgeon, haburgoun], And in a brestplate and in a light gypoun [vrr. gypon, Iopoun, Iepon, gippoun, grippoun] Poetic, Romance. [MED Chaucer CT.Kn. ((Manly-Rickert) A.2030-2120) circa 1385]
2. A’th frestblad, groen dafad wen, / A’th helm ydyw’r crwth halen. [GPC GGl2 (208) circa 1454/1475]
3. ytho ov fous ha'm brustplat purpur garowMetaphorical usage referring to clothing worn by Christ [LexP Ord Res XPI (Norris) (2591)]
Co, ME, OScots, W.
Sex: Male    Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: Chest.

    Etymological Evidence:

Definite, Old English 'breost' + Old French 'plate'.
WF: Compound
Etym Cog:
References:
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