Meanings
plural vambraces · alternative vantbrace · alternative vanbrace · alternative vantbrass · alternative vantbras
- historicalThe pieces of armor protecting the arm from the shoulder to the wrist.
Thorin reached out for the vambrace and gauntlet that made up the armour's right arm.
2003, John Marco, The Devil's Armour, 2010, Electronic Edition, unnumbered page1 more example
To the cuirass were buckled the armour for the shoulders and arms, the first called Pouldrons, the second Brassarts, Garde bras, les avant bras, and corruptly in English, Vambraces. The vambraces included all the defence for the arms, from the pouldrons to the wrist. At the joint, or bending of the arm, the vambraces were cut obliquely, […]
1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 22
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Anglo-Normanvambras
- Middle Englishvambrace
- Englishvambrace
From Middle English vambrace, vauntbras, from Anglo-Norman vambras, avantbras.
More words from Middle English, Anglo-Norman
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian наръкавник
- наръкавник (narăkavnik)piece of armor from elbow to wrist
Finnish käsivarsihaarniska, käsivarsihaarniska
- käsivarsihaarniskapiece of armor from elbow to wrist
- käsivarsihaarniskapiece of armor from shoulder to wrist
French brassard de l’avant-bras
- brassard de l’avant-braspiece of armor from elbow to wrist
Russian наручи
- наручи (naruči)piece of armor from elbow to wrist
Spanish avambrazo
- avambrazopiece of armor from elbow to wrist
Turkish kolçak, kolçak
- kolçakpiece of armor from elbow to wrist
- kolçakpiece of armor from shoulder to wrist
Cite this entry
vambrace. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vambrace
“vambrace.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vambrace. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “vambrace,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vambrace.
Source: vambrace on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.