Plural of couter; pieces of armor that protect the elbow joints in medieval suits of armor.
From Old French 'coute' meaning elbow, derived from Latin 'cubitus.' The word traveled through French into English during the medieval period when armor terminology became standardized.
Knights had to protect their elbows because a bent arm in combat was vulnerable—couters are like the medieval precursor to modern motorcycle elbow pads, showing that protecting joints has always been critical in protection gear.
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