Mantelets

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of protective shield or screen used in military fortifications
2. Lightweight structures or coverings often deployed to safeguard soldiers, especially in siege warfare
3. Referring to small battlements or barriers that provide defense while allowing visibility and mobility for troops

Etymology: "Mantelets" is the plural of "mantelet", a diminutive form of "mantle" (a cloak or covering). The original sense was a small cloak or cape, and the word was later applied to a movable wooden or metal shield used to protect soldiers from enemy fire, the sense the plural now carries.