I. ˈīlə̇t, usu -ə̇d.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English oilet, from Middle French oillet, diminutive of oil eye, from Latin oculus — more at eye
1.
a. : a small hole usually round and buttonholed and designed to receive a cord, lace, pin, or button shank or used only for decoration (as in embroidery)
b.
(1) : a small ring of durable material typically metal that is inserted into an eyelet to reinforce it : grommet ; also : a small barrel-shaped piece of such material
(2) : an eyelet (as of a shoe or a mailbag or at the edge of a sail) that is reinforced with such a ring or piece or that is lined with such material
2. : a small hole (as in a wall) usually used for observation : peephole , eyehole , loophole
3. : a small eye ; specifically : ocellus
II. transitive verb
( eyeleted also eyeletted ; eyeleted also eyeletted ; eyeleting also eyeletting ; eyelets )
: to make an eyelet in : equip with eyelets
• eye·let·er also eye·let·ter -lə̇d.ə(r), -lə̇tə- noun -s