Definition of: epaulet

(ep′ə·let) noun
1. Mil. A fringed shoulder ornament of commissioned officers: no longer used in the British Army; used in the U.S. Army and Navy with full dress.
2. A shoulder ornament of women's dresses designed to give the effect of width to the shoulder line. Also ep′au·lette. [<F épaulette, dim. of épaule shoulder, OF espale <L spatula; from its having been used as a device to hold a shoulder belt or protect the shoulder bearing a musket. See SPATULA.]
EPAULETS
United States
a. Full dress, 1812.
b. Captain, Navy.
c. Brigadier General, Army.