cuirass means A piece of defensive armor, covering the body from the neck to the girdle. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 85 out of 100.
cuirass is pronounced /kwɪˈɹæs/.
Why “cuirass” is a great word
CUIRASS — [Noun] A piece of defensive armor, covering the torso from the neck to the waist, typically comprising a breastplate and backplate. From Middle English curasse, curesse, from Old French cuirace, from Late Latin coriacea vestis ("garment of leather"), from coriaceus ("made of leather"), from Latin corium ("leather, hide"). First attested c. 1464. Unlike a hauberk, which is a supple, draping garment of chainmail, or a simple breastplate, which protects only the front, the cuirass is a rigid, encompassing shell for the body's core. It is the cold, oiled steel cupping the warmth of the sternum, the weight settling on the shoulders like a solemn promise, and the polished curve designed to turn a killing point into a glancing scrape—an elegant architecture built to convince the heart that it is not soft.
Etymology
First use appears c. 1464. From Middle English curasse, curesse, from Old French cuirace, spelling influenced by modern French cuirasse.
noun
- A piece of defensive armor, covering the body from the neck to the girdle.“The cuirass covered the body before and behind, it consisted of two parts, a breast and back piece of iron, fastened together by means of straps and buckles, or other contrivances. They were originally as the name imports, made of leather, but afterwards of metal, both brass and iron.”
- The breastplate taken by itself.“Lady Orkney's history, to whose house we are going, is a curious one. As Miss Elizabeth Villiers, by her charms she pierced the cuirass that enveloped the well-disciplined heart of William III.”
verb
- To cover with defensive armor; to armor-plate.