Epaulette [pronunciation: ĕp'-ǝ-lĕt (http://www.bartleby.com/61/wavs/21/E0172100.wav)] is a French word meaning verbatim, little shoulders (epaule, referring to "shoulder"), often describes the shoulder decorations such as insignia or rank, especially in military or other organizations worn on the shoulder. Before rank insignia were devised, the rank of an officer was determined by whether one epaulette was on the left shoulder, or the right shoulder, or both. Later a "counter-epaulette", with no fringe, was given those who wore only one.

Besides silver or gold for officers, epaulettes came in cloth for the enlisted men of various arms. Officers of the US Army at the time of the Civil War wore gold for artillery and silver for infantry. In Europe, some light infantry wore cloth counter-epaulettes. "Flying artillery" wore "wings," like an epaulette but with only a bit of fringe on the outside, which matched the shoulder seam. Heavy artillery wore small balls representing ammunition on their shoulders.

After the decline of epaulettes, there was a time in which the cuffs of British uniforms were decorated with buttons and colored patches to indicate the rank of officers.

They are found on the trench coat and the safari jacket, and other garments.

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