Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - cuirass

 noun  Etymology: Middle English curas, from Middle French ~e, probably from Old Occitan coirassa, from Late Latin coreacea, feminine of coreaceus leathern, from Latin corium skin, leather; akin to Old English heortha deerskin, Latin cortex bark, Greek keirein to cut — more at shear  Date: 15th century  1. a piece of armor covering the body from neck to waist; also the breastplate of such a piece  2. something (as bony plates covering an animal) resembling a ~  • ~ed adjective