What does jabot mean?
A jabot is a decorative frill attached to the front of a shirt, blouse, or similar garment. It is commonly made of lace and is especially associated with eighteenth- and nineteenth-century clothing, court dress, and formal or traditional costume. In modern usage, the word often conveys an impression of ceremony, elegance, and historical style rather than describing an everyday feature of contemporary dress. A jabot may fill or soften a low neckline, sit beneath a collar, or form a ruffled panel down the front of a garment. Although it can be compared with a frill or ruffle, a jabot is more specifically a prominent ornamental neckline or shirtfront accessory. The term is also occasionally used figuratively for elaborate, beard-like decoration, reflecting the word’s historical association with facial hair. Its distinctive name and strong connection with period fashion make it particularly useful in descriptions of historical dress and ceremonial clothing.
nounAn ornamental frill of lace or other fabric attached to the front of a shirt or blouse, especially in traditional or formal dress.
- An ornamental frill of lace or other fabric attached to the front of a shirt or blouse.
"She fastened the lace jabot at the high collar of her evening dress."
"A white lace jabot softened the formality of his black coat."
"The museum displays an eighteenth-century shirt with an elaborate jabot."
Plural forms are used when referring to multiple jabots, whether separate garments or distinct decorative frills.
"The costumes included white lace jabots and embroidered waistcoats."
The word once evoked a man's beard before it came to denote the decorative frill at a shirtfront.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does jabot come from?
The word entered English from French, where jabot was a dialect term for a beard. Its use for a shirt-front frill developed through the resemblance of the ornamental fabric to the beard worn below the chin. The English clothing sense became established in the 19th century, alongside the growing use of elaborate jabots in formal dress.
How jabot is actually used
The word is chiefly associated with historical clothing, formal dress, and costume or period descriptions. In modern everyday speech it may sound old-fashioned or literary.