pavis
noun
pav·is
variants or pavise or less commonly pavais
ˈpavə̇s
plural pavises
: a large shield covering the whole body used especially in siege operations to protect crossbowmen and sometimes carried by a pavisor before a knight or archer
Word History
Etymology
Middle English pavis, pavise, from Middle French pavais, from Old Italian pavese, probably from pavese of Pavia, city in northeast Italy where pavises were made, from Pavia + -ese