a metal pin for passing through holes in two or more plates or pieces to hold them together, usually made with a head at one end, the other end being hammered into a head after insertion.
Origin: 1350–1400; (noun) Middle English revette, rivette < Old French rivet, derivative of river to attach; (v.) Middle English revetten, derivative of the noun
c.1400, from O.Fr. rivet, possibly from M.Du. wriven "turn, grind." The English word may be directly from M.Du. The verb is attested from early 15c. Meaning "to command the attention" is from c.1600; riveting (adj.) in this sense is from 1854.