A broad belt or sash worn across the chest, often decorated and used to hold a sword or other items.
From Middle English baudrik, possibly from Old French baudré or a Germanic source. The word may derive from a personal name or place, with the meaning shifting to describe the ornamental belt worn by soldiers and nobility. The exact origin is uncertain but dates to medieval times.
This word is a perfect example of how fashion vocabulary gets locked into historical English—we kept the medieval word for a cool belt even after the fashion disappeared! You'll find bawdrics in Shakespeare and medieval literature, representing the practical-meets-fancy gear of knights and soldiers.
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