Aventayle

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A piece of flexible armor, typically made of mail or leather, that hangs from a helmet to protect the neck, throat, and upper shoulders
2. A draped or segmented armor component attached to a helmet that shields the neck and shoulder area from sword cuts and blows
3. A defensive mail or fabric guard suspended from a helmet to cover the vulnerable neck and shoulder regions

Etymology: The mail flap that hung from a medieval helmet to guard the neck and throat began as a word for a fan. Old French "esventail" meant a fan or a screen for stirring air. It came from "esventer," to fan, which was built on "vent," wind, from Latin "ventus." The link is movement of air: the flap hung loosely from the helmet's edge and let air and breath pass through the mail while still covering the wearer's throat. In Middle English, the spelling "aventayle" kept the armour sense and dropped the household fan. The term was used for this flexible neck-guard, so the earlier sense of a fan was lost from English.

Synonyms: aventail, camail