A piece of armor consisting of a breastplate and backplate fastened together, protecting the torso of a soldier.
From French cuirasse, from Old French cuirace, derived from cuir (leather) combined with -asse (a suffix). Originally made of leather, then metal, the term evolved to mean the entire torso protection.
Cuirasses tell a story of technology—soldiers went from tough leather (which flexed and breathed) to rigid metal (which was stronger but heavier), and the same word followed that evolution!
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