ferronnière

noun

fer·​ron·​nière

variants or less commonly ferronière

¦ferən¦ye(ə)r

plural -s

: a pendant jewel worn (as by women in 15th century Italy and early 19th century England) in the middle of the forehead

Word History

Etymology

French ferronnière, after La Belle Ferronnière, portrait of a woman wearing such a jewel painted by Leonardo da Vinci †1519 Italian artist

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined above

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