Also 6 crosselette, 7–8 crosselet, 6–9 croslet. [a. Anglo-F. croiselette, dim. of OF. crois cross: cf. OF. croisette, and for form OF. femmette, later femmelette, f. femme.]
1. Her. A small cross; see also quot. 1661.
[1300. Siege of Caerlaverock, 16. Ky les armes ot vermeillettes O blanc lyon et croisselettes.]
1538. Leland, Itin., II. 93. Crosselettes of Golde many intermist in one yn a Feld … Gules.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. vi. 36. Her champion trew, That in his armour bare a croslet red.
1661. Morgan, Sph. Gentry, II. i. 11. The Cross Croslet, or Crossed, for brevity of Blazon, you may term Croslets only.
1727–51. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., In heraldry … we frequently see the shield covered with crosselets…. Crosses themselves frequently terminate in crosselets.
1864. Boutell, Heraldry Hist. & Pop., xv. 175. Charging his lion and his crosslets on a field ermine.
2. gen. A small cross (used as an ornament, etc.).
1802. W. Taylor, in Robberds, Mem., I. 420. Crosslets glitter on the necks of the ladies.
1823. Lockhart, Anc. Span. Ball., Young Cid, ii. There is no gold about the boy, but the crosslet of his sword.
† 3. = CROSS-CLOTH 2. Obs.
1607. Lingua, IV. vi. in Hazl., Dodsley, IX. 426. Bandlets, fillets, crosslets, pendulets.
a. 1688. Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.), Instalment, Wks. 1705, II. 88. He … tore His pert Wil’s Croslet off.
4. attrib. Shaped like a crosslet.
1820. J. Hodgson, in J. Raine, Mem. (1857), I. 291. The battlements, and crosslet loopholes of the castle.
Hence Crossleted ppl. a., bearing or adorned with a crosslet.
1801. Scott, Fire-King, xxxiv. The scallop, the saltier, and crossleted shield.
1846. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., II. III. II. v. § 20. His hand fallen on his crossleted sword.
1858. Ecclesiologist, XIX. 209. A crossleted banner.
