n. A diminutive of the bendlet, containing one half its area or one quarter the area of the bend.
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
n. A diminutive of the bendlet, containing one half its area or one quarter the area of the bend. When a single cottise is used alone it is often called a cost. See also couple-close.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
n. In heraldry, a diminutive of the bend, being one fourth its width, and half the width of the bendlet.