Aiglet

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈeɪ.ɡlɛt/

Definitions

1. A slender attachment crafted from metal or plastic that prevents fraying at the end of laces
2. An ornamental or practical component that secures the tips of cords to enhance durability
3. A small tube made of metal or plastic fitted onto the end of a lace to stop it from unraveling

Etymology: The little metal tube on the end of a shoelace or drawstring has a name that began as a sewing tool. Its ancestor is the Middle French "aiguillette," a diminutive of "aiguille," meaning "needle." The "-ette" ending shrinks the noun to "little needle," a fitting label for a part whose job is to be slid through a hole and make a cord easier to thread. The word moved from the needle's point to the cord's tip because both do the same job: they guide a thread through something narrow. The French term was applied to the tagged end that lets a lace pass through eyelets, and English adopted that sense, keeping the tiny-needle idea inside it. The needle that gave the word its meaning is the one thing the modern object no longer resembles, since the aglet is simply a sleeve that protects the cord from fraying.