Visor
VY-zer
/ˈvaɪzər/
A projecting front brim on a cap or helmet designed to shade the eyes from glare.
Can refer either to a crownless sun shield worn on a headband or the movable front shield of a helmet.
The story behind the word. Derived from Old French 'vis', meaning face, which comes from Latin 'visus' (look or sight). In medieval suit armor, the 'visere' was the hinged metal face-guard that could be lowered over the knight's face. In the 20th century, the term adapted to modern sportswear for light brims shielding eyes from sunlight.
Word relationships
- shade: Shade is any light barrier, whereas a visor specifically attaches to a headpiece to guard the eyes.
Commonly confused with
- brim: A brim goes all the way around a hat, whereas a visor project forward over the forehead and eyes only.
Word family
- visored (adjective): Equipped with a visor.
Collocations
- sun visor
- plastic visor
- helmet visor
- tennis visor
Example sentences
- "The tennis player adjusted her white visor to shade her eyes from the intense midday sun." Sports & outdoor apparel
- "The knight lowered the steel visor of his helmet before riding into the tournament arena." Historical armor
Memory hook
A VISOR protects your VISION and your face. From knight helmet face-guard to tennis sun shield.
When not to use
Do not use for brimmed hats that encircle the entire head, such as fedoras or Panama hats.
Fun facts
- Accountants and poker players in the early 20th century wore green tinted celluloid visors to reduce glare from harsh electric lightbulbs.
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