breastplate

noun

breast·plate | \ ˈbres(t)-ˌplāt

Definition of breastplate

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

Although a few cavalry units held on to helmets and breastplates, the infantry lost them long before the start of the First World War, and soft hats or caps were standard issue. — David Hambling, Popular Mechanics, "The Century-Long Evolution of the U.S. Army Helmet," 27 June 2019 After all that double-crossing, battling, incestuous canoodling and crying in Westeros, some R and R is in order—and perhaps a break from donning furs, breastplates, and weaponry. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, "What Is the Game of Thrones Cast Working on Next?," 22 May 2019 The doll’s breastplate has a necklace of 28 Stanhope gems, all but two still intact. — Hannah Foster, New York Times, "A Jeweled 19th-Century Doll Sets a Record and Heads for a New Museum," 21 Feb. 2018 Ideally the fantasy shouldn’t feature fake Gaelic-sounding names, breastplates or women with long flowing hair, but even there my resolve has been known to fail. — New York Times, "Lydia Millet: By the Book," 7 June 2018 Ditto Janus Stefanowicz’s costumes, which juxtapose contemporary outfits with medieval-seeming tunics and breastplates for the men and red velvet for Guenevere. — Julia M. Klein, Philly.com, "Act II Playhouse's 'Camelot' a scaled-down yet powerful portrayal," 27 May 2018 In the middle of it all, more than 300 exhibitors and vendors lined up along fictional lanes such as Silicone Valley and Glamazon Lane, selling everything from breastplates and wigs to fan merchandise. — Marie E. Hobro, latimes.com, "RuPaul’s DragCon LA returns for its fourth year," 22 May 2018 The birds, about a foot in length, had a robe of deep black feathers, accented by a breastplate of metallic bluish‐green feathers that turned purple in the right light. — National Geographic, "How an Obsession With Rare Bird Feathers Turned Criminal," 23 Apr. 2018 My favourite application of bronze has always been the cuirass (breastplate), shield, spear, sword and greaves of the Spartan soldiers. — Wei Koh, A-LIST, "How the Watch Industry Plundered the Periodic Table," 3 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'breastplate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.