A bracer is a protective or supportive device worn on the arm, wrist, or elbow. Historically, bracers have been used for both protective and decorative purposes. They can be made of various materials, including leather, metal, and cloth, and may feature straps, buckles, and other embellishments. In some cases, bracers are used to signify a character's strength or power in anime, comics, and manga. Bracers are also used in archery to protect the arm from the bowstring and improve accuracy. In addition to their protective function, bracers have also been used in various cultural practices. For example, in medieval Europe, knights wore bracers as part of their armor to protect their forearms in battle. In Native American cultures, bracers were used in traditional dances and ceremonies as a form of adornment. In modern times, bracers are often worn as a fashion accessory, particularly in the steampunk and cosplay communities. The term bracer has also been used in other contexts, such as in the construction industry to refer to a tool or device used to brace against something when placing pressure or impact. The concept of a bracer is broadly used across the globe and is employed in a variety of languages with differing terms.
protective, supportive, archery, armor, adornment
The word “Bracer” originates from the Middle English “brace” and the Old French “bracier” which can be traced to Proto-Indo-European *bhregʷ, meaning to protect. Historical evidence suggests that the concept of a bracer has been in use since ancient times, serving both protective and decorative purposes. Today, the term “bracer” is used to refer to a protective or supportive device, typically worn around the arm, wrist, or elbow. In linguistic terms, “brace” has cognates in a number of Romance languages, including French, Spanish, and Italian. Morphologically, the word is a noun derived from the verb form, “brace” and falls under a pattern of verb to noun derivations. Pragmatically, “brace” as a verb is used to refer to the act of reinforcing something and the noun “bracer” describes the outcome of that action.
Etymology, Morphology, Bracer, Protection, Wrap
The word Bracer is a noun with multiple meanings. Synonyms include armguard, armlet, band, bracelet, cuff, gauntlet, guard, sleeve and vambrace. Antonyms include bands, earrings, necklace, rings, tiara and wristwatch. Cognates are brace (English), bracciale (Italian), brazal (Spanish) and braslet (Russian). Variants of 'Bracer' include bracers, bracery, braceries, braceward and bracewards.
Morphology, semantic shift, loanwords, origin, historicity, usage
The notion of a bracer is a tool or device used to brace against something when placing pressure or impact. It is a tool which adds leverage and support to a physical action or activity. The concept is broadly used across the globe and is employed in a variety of languages with differing terms. For example, in Spanish, the concept of a bracer could be referred to as ‘soporte’ or ‘abrazadera’. French equivalents include ‘étai’ and ‘serre-joint’ whereas German speakers use the words ‘Kraft’ and ‘Halte’. In Dutch, a bracer is known as a ‘ondersteuner’ while Italian equivalents are ‘appoggio’ and ‘supporto’. In Russian, a bracer is referred to as ‘поддержка’ and ‘надстрой’ and in Greek ‘στῆλη’ and ‘σασπίδα’. Additional terms include ‘klampe’ in Danish, ‘stöd’ in Swedish, ‘bantalan’ in Indonesian, ‘soromonto’ in Hungarian, ‘stütze’ in Polish and ‘shimane’ in Hindi.
Brace, Support, Hold, Leverage, Stand, Rest, Strap, Buckle, Fastener, Clasp, Spanner, Underpinning, Reinforcement, Suspension, Latch, Plate, Catch, Seize, Fastening, Appose, Fixture, Anchor.
A bracer is an iconic image composition technique used in anime, comics and manga to draw character arms, usually as armor. It is a stylized accessory or clothing item bearing patterns and designs that help to define the character and set it apart from the background. Bracers commonly contain a variety of details such as straps, buckles and embellishments that add to the visual composition of the artwork. In some cases, bracers are also used to signify a character’s strength or power.
Bracer, anime art, manga art, comics art, character arms, arm armor, arm protection, arm accessory, armor embellishment.
CITATION : "Taro Yamada. 'Bracer.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=178441 (Accessed on April 30, 2025)"
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