Word To Use Today: basinet, bascinet and bassinet.

These words have always rather worried me.

Is the baby wearing armour?

Or is the knight in a pram?

In some ways I've rather enjoyed all the mind-boggling, but eventually a writer of historical fiction really has to get this kind of thing sorted out.

If a baby is wearing armour (specifically, a helmet, probably with a visor) then it's a basinet or bascinet.

No baby was harmed during the making of this picture. He likes it in there. His name is Tommy.

If a knight has got a pram on his head, then it's a bassinet.

 

The basinet/bascinet is made of steel, and the bassinet is made of wickerwork or perhaps wood.

Though the other way round would probably be fine, too.

I think I've got it all sorted out, now.

Probably.

Word To Use Today: bas/ss/scinet. All these words come from the French word bassin, which means basin. Barcelonnette means little cradle, and this word has got muddled up with the pram meaning, too.