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bracteate

1 of 2

noun

brac·​te·​ate ˈbrak-tē-ət How to pronounce bracteate (audio)
-ˌāt
plural -s
1
: a thin metal plate usually of gold or silver chased on one side and often inscribed with runes and found in early Germanic graves and known to have been used for clothing decoration in the Near East about 2000 b.c.
2
: a very thin coin usually of silver having a design that was stamped on one side only and that showed through on the reverse

Note: These coins were common especially in Germany in the 12th to 13th centuries.

bracteate

2 of 2

adjective

brac·​te·​ate ˈbrak-tē-ət How to pronounce bracteate (audio)
-ˌāt
: furnished with bracts

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Medieval Latin (nummus) bracteatus, from Latin nummus coin + Late Latin bracteatus gold-plated, from Latin bractea, brattea gold plate + -atus -ate

Adjective

New Latin bracteatus, from bractea + Latin -atus -ate

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Rhymes for bracteate

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Browse Nearby Words

bracteal
bracteate
bracted
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Cite this Entry

“Bracteate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bracteate. Accessed 4 Jan. 2026.

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