Bourdelet

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A padded, roll-shaped headdress or bolster worn around the head in medieval and Renaissance dress
2. A cushioned ring or rolled band of fabric forming part of a hood or hat in late medieval fashion
3. A thick, stuffed roll of cloth worn as a head covering, often with draped fabric hanging from it

Etymology: Its root is a stuffing material. Old French "bourre" meant coarse wool or flock, traced to Late Latin "burra," and a "bourrelet" was a small padded roll made from such material. Adding the diminutive ending gives a little pad or cushion. In English the form is rare, and it names the twisted roll of silk or cloth that sits atop a heraldic helmet and supports the crest. The padded, rounded shape of the original object carried over into this ceremonial use.