also bottony, "decoration with buds, knobs, or buttons at the extremities," 1570s, in heraldry, from Old French botoné (Modern French boutonné) "covered with buds," past participle of boutonner "to bud," from bouton "bud, button," 12c., from bouter "to strike, push," from Frankish or some other Germanic source, from Proto-Germanic *buttan, from PIE root *bhau- "to strike."