Baldrics

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of decorative belt worn diagonally across the body that typically supports a sword or firearm
2. An ornamental strap that is worn over the shoulder to carry a weapon or instrument
3. A fashion accessory that serves both functional and aesthetic purposes in military or ceremonial contexts

Etymology: A baldric was a belt slung diagonally across the chest, worn to carry a sword, and in later centuries an ornamental strap that could hold a pistol. The English form comes from Middle English "baudrik" and "baudry", borrowed from Old French "baldré" and "baudré", meaning a crossbelt or sword-belt. Its ultimate origin is uncertain. One proposal links it to the Latin "balteus", meaning belt, through a Frankish intermediary, but the Oxford English Dictionary notes that this does not explain the "bald-" spelling found across the languages, so the connection remains unproven. Middle High German "balderich" probably influenced the English spelling, which is why the word settled on the "bald-" form. Over time the word narrowed from a practical weapon belt to a showy military or ceremonial accessory, and it still appears in that sense today. The plural "baldrics" is simply the form used when more than one such strap is meant, and it follows the ordinary English pattern of adding "-s" to the singular.