Amentum

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əˈmɛntəm/

Definitions

1. A leather strap attached to the shaft of a spear used to increase the speed and distance when thrown
2. A thong made of leather fastened to a spear that helps the thrower impart greater velocity and accuracy
3. A narrow strip of leather affixed to a spear to aid in its propulsive force and control during a throw

Etymology: The Roman javelin thrower had a secret weapon that was little more than a strip of leather. The "amentum" was a thong looped around the shaft of a spear, usually near its balance point, and the thrower wound the free end around one or two fingers. When the spear was flung, the thong unwound and set it spinning, which stabilised its flight and added velocity and accuracy. The Latin word meant simply "thong" or "strap," a plain everyday term for a leather lace or binding, and it was borrowed into English for this specialised piece of military equipment. The word appears in English as a direct borrowing from Latin, with the sense preserved exactly as the Romans used it. Because the object was a technical item of Roman warfare, English speakers adopted the Latin term rather than building a native equivalent, so the word stays tied to classical antiquity and to the history of the javelin.