cataphract
UK /ˈkætəfɹækt/ · US /ˈkætəˌfɹækt/ noun, adjective
Forms cataphracts
- noun (military, historical) Defensive armour covering the entire body of a soldier and often the soldier's horse as well, especially the linked mail or scale armour of some eastern nations.
- noun (ichthyology, by extension, obsolete) An outer covering of some fish resembling armour or plate.
- adjective (nautical, historical) Of a galley such as a trireme: with the upper tier of rowers shielded rather than exposed.
- noun (military, historical) A soldier (especially a horseman) covered with a cataphract (etymology 1, sense 1).
- noun A galley with the upper tier of rowers shielded.
Synonyms
body armor body armour suit of armor suit of armour coat of mail
Antonyms
Etymology
From Latin cataphractes (“suit of armour”), from Ancient Greek κατάφρακτος (katáphraktos, “suit of armour”), from κατα- (kata-, prefix indicating a great degree or intensity) + φρακτός (phraktós, “protected; fenced in”) (from φράσσω (phrássō, “to fortify, secure; to fence in”)) + -της (-tēs, suffix forming nouns indicating a state of being).
The adjective is derived from Ancient Greek κατάφρακτος (katáphraktos, “covered, enclosed, shut up; completely suited in armour”), from καταφράσσειν (kataphrássein, “to suit in armour”) (see further at etymology 1) + -τος (-tos, “suffix forming adjectives”).
The noun is derived from Latin cataphractus (“wearing armour, mailed”), from Ancient Greek κατάφρακτος (katáphraktos, “covered, enclosed, shut up; completely suited in armour”); see above.
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “cataphract”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details