bractea (also brattea), ae, f. perh. kindr. with βράχω, to rattle, a thin plate of metal, gold-leaf (thicker plates of metal are called laminae; cf. Isid. Orig. 16, 18, 2: bractea dicitur tenuissima lamina): aranea bratteaque auri, * Lucr. 4, 729: leni crepitabat brattea vento, Verg. A. 6, 209: inspice, quam tenuis bractea ligna tegat, Ov. A. A. 3, 232; Mart. 8, 33, 6; Plin. 33, 3, 19, § 61; cf. argenteae, id. 37, 7, 31, § 105.

— Poet.: viva, the golden fleece of Spanish sheep, Mart. 9, 62, 4.

— Meton., thin layers of wood, veneers (opp. lamina): ligni, Plin. 16, 43, 84, § 232.

— Trop., show, glitter: eloquentiae, Sol. praef. 2.