A small cushion, pad, or decorative pillow used in interior design or architecture; specifically, a small cushion-like architectural ornament.
From French 'coussinet' (small cushion), diminutive of 'cousin' (cushion), from Latin 'culcita' (mattress), showing how this word traveled from Latin through French into English architectural vocabulary.
Architects and designers still use 'coussinet' to describe tiny decorative cushion-shapes carved into stone or molding—it's a beautiful word that most people never hear despite seeing these details everywhere.
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