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puttee

puttee

1 9.9
A long strip of cloth wrapped around the lower leg from ankle to knee as part of a soldier's uniform
  • noun
  • /ˈpʌti/
  • Archaic
: pantalón de guerra
  • Puttees!
  • puttees and boots

Examples

  • In addition, he was wearing a pair of torn and patched breeches and his puttees were wound most untidily.

  • I could see him plainly, see the mud on his puttees and knees.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Get my snake-bite puttees.

  • In addition, he had on a pair of torn and patched breeches and his puttees were wound most untidily.

  • Tureen, a big florid fellow in puttees and boots, sprang from his chair in a rage.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The soldiers were instructed to ensure their puttees were tightly wound around their legs before the inspection.

  • During the parade, many veterans proudly wore their old uniforms with puttees reminiscent of their service in World War I.

  • As he marched through the muddy fields, his puttees helped keep his legs warm and dry.

How Protective

shin guard
  • US
2 2.5
puttee
  • Archaic
1 9.9
gaiter
1 8.9
sock
553 1.0

Surface Forms

puttee singular
puttees plural

Etymology

Puttee comes from an Indian word patti meaning 'strip' or 'band' of cloth, because British soldiers in India used these cloth strips to wrap their lower legs. So a puttee today is a cloth 'band' you wind around the ankle and calf, like a leg bandage used in old military uniforms.