Epaulet definitions

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

EP'AULET, n. A shoulder-piece; an ornamental badge worn on the shoulder by military men. Officers, military and naval, wear epaulets on one shoulder, or on both, according to their rank.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: adornment consisting of an ornamental cloth pad worn on the shoulder [syn: epaulet, epaulette]

Merriam Webster's

also epaulette noun Etymology: French épaulette, diminutive of épaule shoulder, from Old French espalle, from Late Latin spatula shoulder blade, spoon, diminutive of Latin spatha spoon, sword — more at spade Date: 1783 something that ornaments or protects the shoulder: as a. an ornamental fringed shoulder pad formerly worn as part of a military uniform b. an ornamental strip or loop sewn across the shoulder of a dress or coat • epauletted adjective

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Epaulet Ep"au*let`, Epaulette Ep"au*lette`, n. [F. ['e]paulette, dim. of ['e]paule shoulder, fr. L. spatula a broad piece (LL., shoulder), dim. of spatha abroad, flat instrument, fr. Gr. ?, also, a broad rib, shoulder blade. See Spade the instrument, and cf. Epaule, Spatula.] (Mil.) A shoulder ornament or badge worn by military and naval officers, differences of rank being marked by some peculiar form or device, as a star, eagle, etc.; a shoulder knot. Note: In the United States service the epaulet is reserved for full dress uniform. Its use was abolished in the British army in 1855.

Moby Thesaurus

Hershey bar, aviation badge, badge, bar, chevron, chicken, eagle, hash mark, insignia of branch, oak leaf, organization insignia, overseas bar, parachute badge, patch, pip, service stripe, shoulder patch, shoulder sleeve insignia, spread eagle, star, stripe, submarine badge