Aglet

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈæ.ɡlət/

Definitions

1. A small protective casing designed for the tip of a lace prevents fraying and aids in insertion through holes while providing both functional and decorative advantages
2. A tiny covering that is fixed to the end of a shoelace or cord to keep it from unraveling and to help it pass through eyelets
3. A narrow piece attached to the tip of a lace or string to protect the fibers from damage and to make threading easier

Etymology: The little plastic or metal sheath on a shoelace has a French ancestor that was once a word for a sharp point, a needle-like tip. It passed into Middle English as "aglet" and "aglett," borrowed from Old French "aguillete," a diminutive of "aguille," meaning needle. The same Old French root gave English two relatives that took different paths: "aiglet," a variant that stayed closer to the French spelling, and "aiguillette," the ornamental braided cord hanging from a military uniform. The three words are doublets, descended from one source and borrowed separately. Because the original sense was simply "small point," the word's meaning stayed attached to its physical job of tipping and protecting the end of a lace, long before shoelaces became the everyday objects they are now.

Synonyms: lace tip