Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Cuirass
Cui-rass′
(kwē̍-rȧs′, or kwē′răs; 277)
, Noun.
pl.
. Cuirasses
(-ĕz)[F.
cuirasse
, orig., a breastplate of leather, for OF. cuirée
, cuirie
influenced by It. corazza
, or Sp. coraza
, fr. an assumed LL. coriacea
, fr. L. coriaceus
, adj., of leather, fr. corium
leather, hide; akin to Gr. χόριον
intestinal membrane, OSlav. skora
hide, Lith. skura
hide, leather. Cf. Coriaceous
.] 1.
(a)
A piece of defensive armor, covering the body from the neck to the girdle
. (b)
The breastplate taken by itself.
☞ The cuirass covered the body before and behind. It consisted of two parts, a breast- and backpiece of iron fastened together by means of straps and buckles or other like contrivances. It was originally, as the name imports, made of leather, but afterward of metal.
Grose.
2.
(Zool)
An armor of bony plates, somewhat resembling a cuirass.
Webster 1828 Edition
Cuirass
CUIRASS
,Noun.