corselet

plural corselets · alternative corcelet · alternative corselette · alternative corslet

1. Armor for the body, for example a breastplate and backpiece taken together.
2. An entire suit of armor, made up chiefly of the breastplate and backpiece worn with a headpiece and with a gorget, pauldrons, vambraces, gauntlets, and tassets attached.

   Strictly speaking, the word corcelet meant only that part which covered the body, but was generally used to express the whole suit, under the terms of a corselet furnished, or complete.

   1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 21

3. A tight-fitting item of clothing which covers the body and not the limbs.
4. A type of women's underwear, combining a bra and a girdle in one garment; a corselette.
5. biologyThe thorax of an insect.

   With the added suggestion of her goggles it reminded her pupil of the polished shell or corslet of a horrid beetle.

   1897, Henry James, What Maisie Knew