An aglet is the firm tip at the end of a shoelace or cord. The term is most often associated with shoes, but aglets also finish hoodie drawstrings, decorative cords, and some ribbons. They are commonly made from molded plastic or crimped metal, although wrapped thread and other materials can serve the same purpose.
The tip keeps loose fibers together. This reduces fraying and gives the lace enough stiffness to pass through an eyelet. When an aglet cracks or falls off, the end may spread out, making the lace harder to thread and more likely to unravel.
The word has a fitting history. It came into English through French aiguillette, a diminutive related to aiguille, meaning “needle.” A stiff, narrow lace tip resembles a small needle and helps guide a lace through an opening.
You might hear the word in sentences like these:
- If the aglet breaks, replace it before the shoelace begins to unravel.
- The silver aglets give the sweatshirt cords a polished finish.
An aglet is not the same thing as an eyelet. The aglet is attached to the lace, while the eyelet is the hole that the lace passes through. It also does not mean the whole shoelace. It names only the finished end, a small part with a practical job.