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ventail

American  
[ven-teyl] / ˈvɛn teɪl /

noun

  1. the pivoted middle element of a face defense of a close helmet.

  2. a flap of mail attached to a coif and fastened across the lower part of the face during combat.


ventail British  
/ ˈvɛnteɪl /

noun

  1. (in medieval armour) a covering for the lower part of the face

"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

Etymology

Origin of ventail

1300–50; Middle English < Middle French ventaille, equivalent to vent (< Latin ventus wind 1 ) + -aille -al 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The movable front to a helmet; the ventail.

From Project Gutenberg

Two thousand were there that for sorrow for the four knights unlaced their ventails, and tore their hair and their beards.

From Project Gutenberg

She puts on his hauberk with its strong meshes, and laces on his ventail.

From Project Gutenberg

The tears ran down from his comely eyes right amidst his face and through the ventail, and, had he durst make other dole, yet greater would it have been.

From Project Gutenberg

He maketh them take off their helmets and lower their ventails, and then kiss one another, afterward he leadeth them to his hermitage.

From Project Gutenberg