noun
(also pauldron)
historical A piece of armour covering the shoulder; a shoulder plate.
Origin
Late Middle English. Origin uncertain. Probably partly aphetic from Middle French espauleron shoulder plate, and partly a transferred use of Middle French paleron shoulder blade from pale blade of an oar + -eron, diminutive suffix. Middle French espauleron shows a transferred use of espauleron shoulder blade, apparently an alteration (after paleron) of a derivative of espalle, espaule shoulder.
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