gambeson
/ˈɡæmbəsən/
noun
- A padded jacket worn as armor, usually under chainmail or plate armor, or alone for protection.
- Medieval soldiers often wore a gambeson to absorb the impact of blows.
- At the Renaissance fair, the blacksmith showed how a gambeson was made from layers of linen and wool.
- The knight put on a thick gambeson before donning his chainmail.