Plastrão

Plastrão is a Brazilian Portuguese term with two principal senses. In clothing, plastrão designates a large, bib-like apron worn over clothing to protect it during domestic work or in professional kitchens. It typically covers the chest and abdomen and may extend to the thighs. Plastrões are usually made of cotton, canvas, or waterproof fabrics and are fastened by ties or straps at the back or around the neck. The term is associated with utilitarian or traditional attire and may appear in historical or regional contexts describing a sturdy work apron.

In zoology, plastrão refers to the ventral part of the shell of a turtle or tortoise. The plastron is usually composed of bony plates covered by scutes and serves to protect the abdomen and internal organs. It articulates with the carapace along the sides, and in some lineages it may possess a hinge that allows the shell to close more tightly, aiding in defense. Plastron size, shape, and the presence of hinges vary among species and can be relevant in taxonomic descriptions.

The two uses of plastrão are unrelated in meaning but share the idea of a protective covering—one as a protective garment for clothing, the other as the protective ventral shell of a turtle. In Portuguese texts, context usually clarifies which sense is intended.