shoulder knot: Meaning and Definition of

shoul'der knot"

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. a knot of ribbon or lace worn on the shoulder, as by men of fashion in the 17th and 18th centuries, by servants in livery, or by women or children.
  2. one of a pair of detachable ceremonial ornaments consisting of braided cord, worn on the shoulders by a commissioned officer.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.