Why this word is great
BALAYEUSE — [Noun] A protective ruffle or frill, typically of silk or lace, sewn to the inside lower edge of a skirt to prevent wear or soiling. From French balayeuse ("female street-sweeper"), from balayer ("to sweep"), ultimately of Germanic origin. Unlike "dust ruffle" (a utilitarian term for furniture’s hem) or "flounce" (a showy exterior flourish), the balayeuse is a secret guardian, hidden beneath petticoats and propriety. It is the whisper of silk against stockinged ankles, the ghostly trace of lace brushing a ballroom floor, the quiet insistence that even beauty must be armored against the grime of the world—a reminder that what is most delicate often wears its resilience on the inside.