Hopefully these definitions will enable the reader to make more sense of this site. If there is a term I have omitted, please let me know at reason_prevails@hotmail.com.

Clothing

Bliaut - A tailored tunic with side lacings and large sleeves, caught round the waist with a long belt (see the "Visual Evidence" page) The usual court dress of the nobility.

Chemise - An undergarment made of finely woven soft material worn by both sexes, usually in the form of a basic t-tunic with straight sleeves.

Coif - A skullcap, often padded to go under a chainmail coif and helmet, made of linen.

Cote, Cotehardie, Kirtle - A dress with no side lacings or large sleeves like the Bliaut. In the 13th century this was loose and flowing, though it became tighter in later periods.

Cyclas - A sleveless surcote often confused with the sideless surcote. It has its origins in men's military dress (having been used to protect the body from broiling in armor under the hot sun) but was adapted and used by the women. It is often seen as two rectangular pieces pleated into a sloping neckband with a seam on each side. Generally considered to be the predecessor of the sideless surcote.

Mantle - A long sleeveless cloak made of fine materials and worn over the clothing. An integral part of noble court dress (as opposed to cape, a utilitarian garment worn to protect from cold and rain) it was usually fastened at the neck with ribbons or clasps.

Pelisse - A long fur-lined cloak or robe that could be worn as an outer garment, dress, or underdress.

Pellote - A Spanish surcote which looked a great deal like the sideless surcote of other European countries.

Saya - A Spanish surcote which looked somewhat like a cyclas, but with very high and shallow armholes and lacings on one side.

Sideless Surcote - An overdress with armholes extending down to the waist and no sleeves.

Tunic - A name for the early garment (which existed even before Roman times) which evolved into the cote/cotehardie/kirtle. Usually built on a "T" pattern, with various sleeves, fit, and embellishment depending on period. The most basic (and oftimes the most flattering) of garb.

Measurements

Ell - A unit of linear measure equal to about four feet.

Clothing Construction

Gore - A triangular piece of fabric inserted into a skirt to make it wider.

Fabric

Brocade - A fabric of expensive fiber with patterns woven in, most often simple geometric patterns such as stripes.

Buckram - The word buckram in the context of this period does not refer to the linen fabric used in later periods to stiffen garments, but an expensive fabric on par with scarlet which was used for outer garments. Its composition was likely of silk or similar fine material as it was used by the nobility, who were used to conspicuous consumption.

Chainsil - Goddard states that "From the facts that chainsil was especially used as a material for the chemise and that it is frequently mentioned as white, it has been assumed that chainsil was some kind of linen." As opposed to chainse which was often used to reference a garment made from chainsil material.

Ermine, Miniver, Sable, Vair - Rich furs often used to line garments or as trim on expensive gowns. These furs are restricted to the nobility. The commoners wore rabbit or other types of less exotic fur.

Mottled Silk - Silk with many different colors of dye painted onto it. In Chretien de Troyes, gowns made of such were given as rich gifts by King Arthur at the wedding of Erec.

Orphrey - Elaborate gold embroidered or woven fabric or bands of such embroidery, much prized by the upper classes. Used as decoration in girdles, as ribbons, hair ornaments, and even dog leashes.

Perse - A cloth of excellent quality of a rich blue color; manufactured in Provence, which became famous for its production. It was much used by nobility for their garments.

Samite - A thick, lustrous silk twill without the shininess found in today's silks. It was often interwoven with gold or silver threads, though the fabric itself could be any color.

Scarlet - A fine woolen broadcloth rivalling the better silks in price and luxury appeal. It could be red or another color altogether. For example in The Knight with the Lion of Chretien de Troyes, it is colored the deep blue-green of peacock's feathers.

Serge - A rough, inferior fabric made of wool or linen which was worn by the lower classes.

Gems and Metals

Amythest - A purple stone regularly used in ornaments.

Carbuncle - An imaginary stone that was said to reflect a light to rival that of the sun. Often described as bright red and compared to the garnet or ruby.

Carnelian - A clear red variety of chalcedony, not to be confused with sardonyx for which a similar word was used.

Chalcedony - A fine-grained variety of quartz that has a great range of colors, most usually bluish-white, grey, yellow, or brown.

Chrysolite - A transparent green gem, often called "olivene" because of its color.

Garnet - A dark red stone often used in ornaments.

Ivory - A white bone-like material which comes from the tusks of elephants and other large animals of that type. Used often in furniture, it was usually carved into fanciful shapes.

Jacinth - A reddish-orange variety of zircon, also called "hyacinth".

Ruby - A red stone with a color lighter and oftimes clearer than that of garnet. Also regularly used in ornaments.

Sardonyx - Translucent light- to dark- brown variety of chalcedony, a close relative of carnelian.

Dyes

Brazilwood - An East Indian tree that produces crimson or purple dye.

English Walnut - A European tree Juglans regia that produces black dye.

Grana or Kermes - A red dye derived from certain dried insects.

Indigo - The plant Indigofera tinctoria which was not widely used in Western Europe until the late 13th century due to the lack of ways to process the pigment cubes which were exported from India. The problem of unusable indigo was finally solved by the Venetians when Marco Polo wrote a description of the preparation process which he had observed while in India.

Madder - The Rubia tinctorum plant which produces the red dye alizarin.

Orchil - A violet dye derived from lichen.

Weld - A European plant Reseda luteola having long spikes of small, yellowish-green flowers and yielding a yellow dye.

Woad - The plant Isatis tinctoria which was used to create a blue dye similar to indigo to which woad is closely related. It grows easily in northern climates and does not have to be specially processed, unlike indigo, a fact which contributed to its popularity.

Other

Berbiolette - Tentatively idendified as the douc langur monkey of the Asian subcontinent.