A shoulder ornament on military uniforms, typically made of braided cord or metal, indicating rank or unit affiliation; alternative spelling of epaulet.
From French épaulette, diminutive of épaule (shoulder), from Latin spatula (shoulder blade). British and American English variant with slightly different spelling.
In British English, you're more likely to see 'epaulette' while Americans prefer 'epaulet'—but they're the same decorative rank indicator, showing how the same military traditions split into different spellings across the Atlantic.
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