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cu·let

(kylĭt, kŭlĭt)

1. The small flat face at the bottom of a gem cut as a brilliant.

2. A piece of armor consisting of overlapping plates used to protect the buttocks.

[Obsolete French , diminutive of cul, rump, from Latin cūlus; see (s)keu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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