Standard Lemma guide

pauldron

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈpɔl.dɹən/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A component of plate armor that protects the shoulder, generally covering more than a spaulder, also protecting the armpit and overlapping with other armor over the upper chest and back.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From earlier pouldron, poleron, paleron from Middle English polron, palerns, pollerons. This may have been borrowed from Old French paleron, which derives from elements corresponding to French pale (“blade (of a shovel, etc)”) + -eron but was semantically influenced by Old French espaule (“shoulder”) (whence French épaule). Alternatively, some references derive the Middle English word from Middle French espalleron, espauleron, from Old French espaule. Although a form with d at the end is found in Middle English (polrondys, compare Early Modern English polrynges c. 1550), the interpolation of a d between the l and the r dates to the 1500s; the d, and the preference since the early 1800s for the spelling and pronunciation with paul- rather than poul-, may be due to the influence of spaulder.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: нараменник (naramennik) — plate armor that protects the shoulders
  • French: épaulière — plate armor that protects the shoulders
  • German: Achsel — plate armor that protects the shoulders
  • Portuguese: ombreira — plate armor that protects the shoulders
  • Russian: напле́чники (napléčniki) — plate armor that protects the shoulders
  • Sanskrit: अंसत्र (aṃsatra) — plate armor that protects the shoulders
  • Spanish: hombrera — plate armor that protects the shoulders
  • Ukrainian: наплічники (napličnyky) — plate armor that protects the shoulders
  • Ukrainian: нараменники (naramennyky) — plate armor that protects the shoulders