Gorgerin

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɡɔɹ.d͡ʒəɹ.ɪn/

Definitions

1. A protective element for the neck that served as armor in historical warfare
2. An ornamental neckpiece commonly associated with ceremonial costumes from various cultures
3. A piece of armor designed to cover and protect the neck region during combat ; a decorative accessory worn around the neck as part of traditional or ceremonial attire

Etymology: Gorgerin is a piece of armour worn around the neck, and its name comes from French, where "gorgerin" meant the throat or the collar-like part of a garment or armour. The French word is itself rooted in "gorge," the throat, which is the same base that gives English "gorge" and "gorget," so the armour name is essentially a throat-piece under another guise. English borrowed the term from French to name the armoured collar, which is the sense it has kept. Because it is a loan from French rather than a native English coinage, it sits among the many military and armour terms that entered English through Norman and later French usage, reflecting the close contact between the two languages in medieval warfare.

Synonyms: gorge, gullet