Annulets

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small ring or band that usually serves as a decorative element or is used in various forms of jewelry or art
2. A diminutive circular shape that symbolizes a variety of things, often seen in architecture or design, representing continuity
3. A minor circular ornament that may be part of a larger decorative scheme or can be used for practical purposes in different contexts

Etymology: "Annulets" is the plural of "annulet," a small ring, and the plural form is simply the noun's ordinary plural. The singular goes back to Latin "annulus," meaning "ring," with the diminutive ending "-et" added to mark it as something smaller: a little ring. The same Latin root gave English "annular," used for things shaped like a ring, and "annulus," a term for a ring-shaped structure in anatomy and botany. In heraldry and architecture, "annulet" names a specific small ring, and the plural form turns up most often in descriptions of coats of arms, where a field may be scattered with several of them. The Latin base word "annulus" is itself related to "anulus," the form that gave Italian and French their words for ring, so the family of terms runs across several languages.