Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
camail

camail

9.9
A curtain of metal rings attached to a helmet to protect the neck and shoulders
  • noun
  • /kæˈmeɪl/
  • Archaic
: camail
  • The knight donned his camail before heading into battle.

Examples

  • The museum's collection includes a rare camail from the 14th century.

  • During the battle, his camail saved him from a deadly blow.

  • A camail was often used to protect the neck from sword blows.

  • The knight wore a camail for additional protection.

  • A camail was often used to protect the neck from sword blows.

  • The knight donned his camail before heading into battle.

  • The museum's collection includes a rare camail from the 14th century.

Synonyms

ventail
vscamail
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Piece of armor made from small metal rings that hangs from a helmet to protect face and neck

emphasizes protection of the neck and shoulders instead of the lower face
aventail
vscamail
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A piece of armor made of small metal rings attached to a helmet that protects the neck and lower head

focuses more on protecting the neck and shoulders rather than the head

How Protective

gorget
  • Archaic
1 9.9
camail
  • Archaic
9.9
scarf
207 1.0

Surface Forms

camail singular
camails plural

Etymology

Camail comes from an old French word for a 'mail hood', and the second part, mail, means 'chain armour'. So a camail is like a hood or curtain of chain that hangs from a helmet to protect the neck and shoulders.