pisane

Meaning

Noun

• A collar or gorget of mail (or, rarely, plate), protecting the neck and upper chest; a standard.

Origin

• From Middle English pisane, from a Old French word variously spelled pizaine, pizane, etc, found also in phrases like colarete(s) pizaine, gorgerete(s) pizaine. Probably from Old French piz ("chest"), from Latin pectus, extended like in poitrine, although it has also been suggested that it could derive from pisain (pisan), "Pisan" (compare burgonet from Bourgogne).