Illustration of epaulet
- E epaulet
epaulet
noun
ep·au·let ˌe-pə-ˈlet 
ˈe-pə-ˌlet,
-lət
variants or less commonly epaulette
: something that ornaments or protects the shoulder: such as
a
: an ornamental fringed shoulder pad formerly worn as part of a military uniform
b
: an ornamental strip or loop sewn across the shoulder of a dress or coat
epauletted
ˌe-pə-ˈle-təd
adjective ˈe-pə-ˌle-
Did you know?
Epaulet Has French and Latin Roots
The epaulet gets its name from what it covers - the shoulder. It comes from the French word épaulette, the diminutive of "épaule," meaning shoulder. (Another accepted spelling of the English word - "epaulette" - mirrors the French.) "Épaule" itself, though, comes from the Latin word spatha, meaning "spoon" or "sword." This Latin word (which traces back to Greek spathē, meaning "blade of a sword" or "oar") is also the root of the word spade - as in the playing card suit. (The digging implement "spade" is also a relative though the connection is less direct.)
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Hosting duties are handled by epaulet owning martinet and editor in chief Tony Quiroga. 
John Pearley Huffman, Car and Driver, 30 June 2022 British ship engineers wear purple stripes on their epaulets. Ben Taub, The New Yorker, 10 May 2020 The pictures show Charlotte, dressed in grey tights and a checkered smock dress with floppy epaulets, carrying bags of groceries, placing them in boxes and standing at someone's door ready to deliver. Maria Puente, USA TODAY, 1 May 2020 Its various elements — the lapels, epaulets, belt — were misplaced and reworked. Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 12 Feb. 2020 But the impact of what the witness wore didn’t come solely from the golden epaulets and shiny buttons and medals. Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 19 Nov. 2019 Earlier in his tenure, Bradshaw wore an epaulet on each shoulder, with five stars on each. Anthony Man, sun-sentinel.com, 14 Oct. 2019 Outlier, a New York brand, makes perhaps the most minimal trench of the bunch—an epaulet-free, belt-free coat that swaps buttons for snaps. Jacob Gallagher, WSJ, 16 Oct. 2018 On his eighth birthday, he was presented with a general's uniform, complete with gold buttons and epaulets and things. CBS News, 19 June 2019 See More
John Pearley Huffman, Car and Driver, 30 June 2022 British ship engineers wear purple stripes on their epaulets. Ben Taub, The New Yorker, 10 May 2020 The pictures show Charlotte, dressed in grey tights and a checkered smock dress with floppy epaulets, carrying bags of groceries, placing them in boxes and standing at someone's door ready to deliver. Maria Puente, USA TODAY, 1 May 2020 Its various elements — the lapels, epaulets, belt — were misplaced and reworked. Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 12 Feb. 2020 But the impact of what the witness wore didn’t come solely from the golden epaulets and shiny buttons and medals. Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 19 Nov. 2019 Earlier in his tenure, Bradshaw wore an epaulet on each shoulder, with five stars on each. Anthony Man, sun-sentinel.com, 14 Oct. 2019 Outlier, a New York brand, makes perhaps the most minimal trench of the bunch—an epaulet-free, belt-free coat that swaps buttons for snaps. Jacob Gallagher, WSJ, 16 Oct. 2018 On his eighth birthday, he was presented with a general's uniform, complete with gold buttons and epaulets and things. CBS News, 19 June 2019 See More Word History
Etymology
French épaulette, diminutive of épaule shoulder, from Old French espalle, from Late Latin spatula shoulder blade, spoon, diminutive of Latin spatha spoon, sword — more at spade
First Known Use
1778, in the meaning defined above