An aglet is the small sheath, usually plastic or metal, fixed over the end of a shoelace to prevent fraying and to ease threading. The term refers to this tiny hardware piece used in footwear, and can also describe similar tips on cordage or drawstrings. It’s a specialized, limitingly discussed noun in everyday fashion or DIY contexts.
"I replaced the worn-out aglet on my sneakers before the race."
"The aglet prevented the lace from fraying and made threading easier."
"She fixed the aglet with a dab of glue so the end wouldn’t unravel."
"If your aglet comes loose, you can seal it with a heat-shrink sleeve or take it to a cobbler."
The word aglet derives from Old French aguillette, meaning a small needle or needle’s point, and historically from aiguille meaning needle. It entered English in the late medieval period via borrowings related to metal or pointed tips. The earliest usages described the pointed tips or small metal projects on lacing and armour, gradually narrowing to the shoelace tip we know today. By the 15th–16th centuries, ‘aglet’ appears in English glossaries and craft manuals, often tied to metalworking or leatherworking contexts. The form underwent standardization as shoelace hardware became a common household item, with the sense crystallizing around the small protective end that prevents fraying. Over time, aglets have broadened to include plastic and metal caps used on cords beyond shoes, including drawstrings on garments and bags, maintaining their core function of edge protection and ease of use. The term remains a specialized but widely recognized item in fashion, textiles, and DIY repair language.
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Words that rhyme with "Aglet"
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Pronounce as AG-let, with primary stress on the first syllable. US: /ˈæɡlət/; UK/AU often /ˈæɡlɪt/. The vowel in the second syllable is a short schwa-like or lax vowel in rapid speech, though in careful speech it’s a full /ə/ or /ɪ/ depending on speaker. Tip: make the first syllable crisp, then relax the second quickly as you say “let” without adding extra vowels.
Most speakers mispronounce by: 1) turning the second syllable into a full æ- or æɪ sound (agg-let) instead of a weak /lət/; 2) adding an extra syllable or lengthening the ending (ag-let vs agl-et). Correction: keep the second syllable short and unstressed, use a relaxed /lət/ or /lɪt/ depending on accent. Focus on a clean /ɡ/ stop followed by a subdued /l/ and a quick /ə/ or /ɪ/ before the /t/.
In US, /ˈæɡlət/ with a clear /æ/ in the first syllable and a schwa/no strong vowel in the second. UK/AU often realize the second vowel as /ɪ/ or /ə/; final /t/ is unreleased by some speakers in rapid speech. The main variation is the second vowel quality: US leans toward /ə/; UK/AU may lean toward /ɪ/ or /ə/ depending on speaker; rhoticity does not alter the word, but surrounding vowels may create a brisk, clipped delivery.
The challenge lies in the short, weak second syllable after a stress-initial consonant cluster: /ˈæɡ/ + /lət/. The /l/ and /t/ can blur together in fast speech, and many speakers flatten the /ə/ or /ɪ/ into a more centralized vowel. Another difficulty is avoiding an extra syllable or prolonging the second vowel; practice with rapid speech and minimal pair drills helps maintain a crisp, single-syllable second part.
Is the ending ever pronounced as /-lʌt/ or /-lɒt/? In careful speech some speakers may produce a longer vowel in the second syllable, but standard pronunciation is /ˈæɡlət/ in US and /ˈæɡlɪt/ in UK/AU, with a short, lax second vowel before the final /t/. Focus on the stopped /t/ and the light /ə/ or /ɪ/ transitioning from /l/: keep it short and quick.
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