breastplate

noun

breast·​plate ˈbres(t)-ˌplāt 

1

: a usually metal plate worn as defensive armor for the breast see armor illustration

2

: a vestment worn in ancient times by a Jewish high priest and set with 12 gems bearing the names of the tribes of Israel

3

: a piece against which a worker's breast is pressed in operating a tool (such as a breast drill)

Examples of breastplate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Oh look, here’s Maximus’s breastplate (which will later become literal plot armor). —Erik Kain, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024

Roman military officers often decorated their breastplates with symbols of life milestones or achievements. —Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2024

Crossman looked to Rome’s Capitoline Museums to research helmet and breastplate designs for the $250 million film, and enlisted an army of global craftspeople to produce the costuming. —Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2024

Somehow, Ordaz and a small band of compatriots endured the long, grueling ascent — their lungs slowly crushed by the altitude’s pressure, their backs weighed down by their steel helmets and breastplates — and lived to tell the tale. —Charles Curkin, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

breastplate

noun

breast·​plate ˈbres(t)-ˌplāt 

: metal armor for covering the breast