A poleyn is a type of armor that covers the knee and is typically made of metal plates held together by leather or fabric straps. It was a crucial piece of armor during the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods, used by both cavalry and infantry for extra protection in combat. The word poleyn is derived from the French word Polaine, which comes from the Latin word papilio, referring to the wing-like shape of the armor piece. Poleyns were often paired with other armor pieces such as greaves, which protected the lower leg, and cuisses, which protected the thigh. The design of the poleyn evolved over time, with earlier versions being simpler and made of metal, leather, or parchment, while later versions incorporated a variety of materials such as fabric and padding for increased comfort and flexibility. In addition to its practical use in battle, the poleyn also had ceremonial uses. It was often decorated with intricate designs and symbols, showcasing the wealth and status of the wearer. The poleyn was also a popular element in medieval and Renaissance art, appearing in paintings and sculptures as a symbol of chivalry and knighthood.
armor, knee, metal, protection, design
The word Poleyn is a noun, referring to a type of armour worn on the knee. The word has several synonyms such as cuisse, schynbald and plate defences. Common antonyms to the word would be unarmoured and unprotected; while cognates can be found in Old French, Dutch and Middle English. Variants of the Poleyn include the Pollyne, Pollen and Polayn.
Etymological Analysis Medieval Knee Armour Words French Loanwords Historical Context Medieval Armour Vocabulary Loanwords in English
The word ‘Poleyn’ is derived from the French word ‘Polaine’, which descends from the Latin word, ‘papilio’, referring to the wing-like shape of the armour piece. It was worn around the knee to protect the legs from injury and was originally made of metal, leather or parchment, but eventually developed to include a variety of materials. Historically, it was known as the ‘polaine’ and was a staple armour piece during the Middle Ages and Renaissance Periods, used by cavalry and infantry who needed extra protection in combat. Morphologically, the word poleyn has two main components, ‘pole’ which comes from the Proto-Indo-European root ‘*pleh₂-’, meaning 'to fill', and ‘yn’ derived from the Middle English ‘yne’, meaning ‘in’. Pragmatically, the word ‘poleyn’ refers to a piece of protective armour for the knee, and was worn for protection in battle, or for ceremonial uses.
Etymology, Morphology, Word-formation, Historical, Linguistic, Pragmatics.
Poleyn is a type of armor that covers the knee, typically made of metal plates held together by leather or fabric straps. This type of armor was used in Medieval Europe, and is also called “vambrace”, “knee cop”, “poley”, “knee harneys”, “poleyns”, “cuisses”, “genouilleres”, “knieschuester”, “scheenbeschermer”, “schinenschoner”, “schincuue”, “schincueil”, “spauder”, “jambequeues”, “garde-genou”, “genouillères”, and “splittern”. In German, it is known as “Poleyns”, while in French it is referred to as “genouilleres”. Similarly, in Spanish and Italian it is known as “rodilleras” and “ginocchiere” respectively. In Portuguese and Polish, it is known as “joelheiras” and “łokciowe”. Finally, in Dutch, it is known as “knieschijf”.
poleyn, vambrace, knee cop, poley, knee harneys, cuisses, genouilleres, knieschuester, scheenbeschermer, schinenschoner, schincuue, schincueil, spauder, jambequeues, garde-genou, genouillères, splittern, Poleyns, rodilleras, ginocchiere, joelheiras, łokci
A poleyn is an important element of armor used to protect the lower leg of a character in anime, comic or manga. It typically consists of a cup-shaped piece that goes over the knee and hinged plates that protect the shin, ankle, and foot. Commonly, a greave is attached to the top of the poleyn to further protect and support the leg. The poleyn is a fundamental element of character design in the medium and is often an opportunity to showcase the artist's creativity.
Anime, manga, comic, poleyn, armor, leg protection, greave, knee, shin, ankle, foot, character design.
CITATION : "Taro Yamada. 'Poleyn.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=178464 (Accessed on April 29, 2025)"
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