A codpiece (from Middle English cod ' scrotum ') is a triangular piece that attached to the front of men's hose, covering the fly. It may be held in place by ties or buttons.

Apr 1, 2011 · The codpiece began as a simple piece of fabric that would be tied down, really just an extra piece of linen. However, as time wore on the codpiece became more elaborate and decorative, …

Aug 16, 2018 · Soon padding was added and ended up as the codpiece–a prominent, suggestive shape filling the gap between the legs of the breeches. It soon became a normal part of male clothing, in …

Apr 30, 2015 · The historical consensus on the origin of the codpiece is that it was devised to fill a gap and, initially at least, preserved men’s modesty. From these practical beginnings, the codpiece (‘cod’ …

Aug 14, 2025 · When the fourteenth-century fashion for very short doublets emerged, the codpiece was invented to cover up the gap at the top of those hose. If you believe ‘the Parson’ in Chaucer’s The …

May 23, 2020 · The codpiece, in its early form, was a baggy cloth gusset laced to the stockings, but, in the course of the next century, rising on a tide of ostentation, it bulged and distended.

codpiece, pouchlike addition to men’s long hose, located at the crotch, popular in Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries. It came into fashion with hose that were like tights and continued to be worn with …

Nov 26, 2021 · Whilst originally this modest covering was fashioned from a triangular shaped piece of cloth, by Henry VIII’s times the codpiece was a far more extravagant affair, stuffed to unnatural …

A codpiece is an article of, traditionally, men’s clothing that covers the groin region and is designed primarily either for discretion or exaggeration. It can be made from fabric such as silk, from leather, …

The meaning of CODPIECE is a flap or bag concealing an opening in the front of men's breeches especially in the 15th and 16th centuries.