noun
red headband (archaic, worn by lower-rank officers)
Archaic term for a red headband worn by lower-ranking military officers in historical contexts. Not used in modern Japanese.
抹額は、昔の下級武士が額に巻いた赤い布である。
A 抹額 is a red cloth that lower-ranking samurai used to tie around their foreheads in the past.
The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 抹 (rub, erase) and 額 (forehead) suggest a cloth rubbed or tied on the forehead, but this is speculative.