eyelet

What it means

1. An object that consists of a rim and small hole or perforation to receive a cord or fastener, as in garments, sails, etc. An eyelet may reinforce a hole.

   Push the aglet of the shoelace through each of the eyelets, one at a time.

2. A shaped metal embellishment containing a hole, used in scrapbook. Eyelets are typically set by punching a hole in the page, placing the smooth side of the eyelet on a table, positioning the paper over protruding edge and curling the edge down using a hammer and eyelet setter.
3. Cotton fabric with small holes.

In a sentence

Push the aglet of the shoelace through each of the eyelets, one at a time.

Where it comes from

1. Old Frenchoil“eye”
2. Old Frenchoillet
3. Middle Englishoylet
4. Englisheyelet

From Middle English oylet, from Old French oillet, equivalent to Old French oil (“eye”) + -et (diminutive suffix). Spelling and pronunciation were later on influenced by eye (which is distantly related to oil via Proto-Indo-European) as though suffixed with -let (a double diminutive also from -et).