mouchette

[ moo-shet ]

noun

, Architecture.

1. a daggerlike form, especially in tracery, created by a segmental and an ogee curve so that it is pointed at one end and circular at the other.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mouchette¹

1925–30; < French: originally, the fillet below an ovolo, projecting part of a cornice; hence, with the common sense “what protrudes,” probably derivative of moucher to cut or knock off (something protruding) ( -ette ), apparently extended sense of moucher to wipe (a person's) nose < Vulgar Latin *muccāre, derivative of Latin muccus, mūcus mucus