chatelaine

Meanings

1. The mistress of a castle or large household.
2. A chain or clasp worn at the waist by women with handkerchief, keys, etc., attached, supposed to resemble the chain of keys once worn by medieval chatelaines.
3. A similar thing in miniature attached to a watchchain.

Etymology

] Borrowed from French châtelaine, the feminine form of châtelain (“castle-keeper, castellan; one living in a castle”), from Medieval Latin castellanus (“occupants of a castle”), from castellum (“castle, fort”) (diminutive of castrum (“castle, fort”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱes- (“to cut off, separate”)) + -ānus (“of or pertaining to”). By surface analysis, Old French chatel + French -aine.