pavis

or pav·ise

[ pav-is ]

/ ˈpæv ɪs /

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noun

a large oblong shield of the late 14th through the early 16th centuries, often covering the entire body and used especially by archers and soldiers of the infantry.

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Origin of pavis

1350–1400; Middle English paveys<Middle French pavais<Old Italian pavese literally, of Pavia; see -ese

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use pavis in a sentence

The former monarch devised for them a system of tactics, in which the pavise was made to play a prominent part.
The Art of War in the Middle Ages A.D. 378-1515|C. W. C. Oman
The shield itself or pavise was large, made of wood covered with skin, and surrounded with a broad rim of iron.
Traditions of Lancashire, Volume 1 (of 2)|John Roby

British Dictionary definitions for pavis

pavis

pavise

/ (ˈpævɪs) /

noun

a large square shield, developed in the 15th century, at first portable but later heavy and set up in a permanent position

Word Origin for pavis

C14: from Old French pavais, from Italian pavese of Pavia, Italian city where these shields were originally made

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012