A piece of armor or protective gear that covers the chest and breast, the front plate of a suit of armor.
Compound: 'breast' (chest) + 'piece' (a part or component). Central element of European plate armor from medieval through Renaissance periods.
A well-made breastpiece had to be curved and angled to deflect sword blows away from the heart and lungs—medieval armorers were basically solving physics problems to save lives, making each curve and angle life-or-death crucial.
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