vambrace

English

A vambrace (lower arm protection)

A vambrace (full arm protection)

vambrace (plural vambraces)

The piece of armor designed to protect the arm from the elbow to the wrist.
The pieces of armor protecting the arm from the shoulder to the wrist. Not in common use in this sense,
- 1786, Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 22,
  The vambraces included all the defence for the arms, from the pouldrons to the wriſt.
- 2003, John Marco, The Devil's Armour, 2010, Electronic Edition, unnumbered page,
  Thorin reached out for the vambrace and gauntlet that made up the armour's right arm.

The narrower definition (protection for the lower arm) is preferred by academic authors.

(protection from elbow to wrist): couter, cowter, lower cannon of vambrace
(protection from shoulder to wrist): couter, cowter, lower cannon of vambrace, rerebrace, upper cannon of vambrace

piece of armor from elbow to wrist

piece of armor from shoulder to wrist