¦ noun a small round hole in leather or cloth for threading a lace, string, or rope through.
?a metal ring used to reinforce such a hole.
?a small hole with stitching around its edge, used as a form of decoration in embroidery.
¦ verb (eyelets, eyeleting, eyeleted) make eyelets in (fabric).
Origin
ME oilet, from OFr. oillet, dimin. of oil 'eye', from L. oculus.