vambrace

V4A1M3B3R1A1C3E1
/ˈvæm.bɹeɪs/

noun

The piece of armor designed to protect the arm from the elbow to the wrist.

Similar
lower cannon
Scrabble 17

Meanings

nounvambrace (plural vambraces)

plural vambraces · alternative vantbrace · alternative vanbrace · alternative vantbrass · alternative vantbras

  1. historicalThe piece of armor designed to protect the arm from the elbow to the wrist.
  2. 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 page
    1 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

Narrower
coutercowterlower cannon of vambracererebraceupper cannon of vambrace

nouncannon of plate armor protecting the forearm

Similar
lower cannon
Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Anglo-Normanvambras
  2. Middle Englishvambrace
  3. Englishvambrace

From Middle English vambrace, vauntbras, from Anglo-Norman vambras, avantbras.

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
APA

vambrace. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vambrace

MLA

“vambrace.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vambrace. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “vambrace,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vambrace.

Source: vambrace on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.