plastron

[plas-truhn]

noun

1. a piece of plate armor for the upper part of the torso in front.

2. Fencing.,  a quilted pad worn over part of the torso, for protection.

3. an ornamental front piece of a woman's bodice.

4. the starched front of a shirt.

5. Zoology.,  the ventral part of the shell of a turtle.

plastron

/ ˈplæstrən /

noun

1. the bony plate forming the ventral part of the shell of a tortoise or turtle

Other Word Forms

• plastral adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of plastron¹

1500–10; < Middle French < Italian piastrone, augmentative of piastra metal plate, piaster. See plaster

Word History and Origins

Origin of plastron¹

C16: via French from Italian piastrone, from piastra breastplate, from Latin emplastrum _plaster

Example Sentences

But plastrons have proved highly unstable under water, keeping surfaces dry for only a matter of hours in the lab.

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Leopard and landscapes of coconut trees patterns appeared on short sleeve shirts while big necklace plastrons acted as clothes.

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Ms. Repossi works exclusively with precious metals and stones while Mapplethorpe’s necklaces and plastrons were made of beads and what she described as “cheap, strange objects.”

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The cotton poplin plastron shirt took 11 hours to make, according to the French house.

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The show opened with all-wite looks featuring quilted cotton fencing plastrons and long, romantic tulle skirts.

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