Brocae is a class of richly decorative shuttle-woven fabrics, often made in colored silks and with or without gold and silver threads. The name, related to the same root as the word "broccoli" comes from Spanish brocado, from Italian broccato meaning "embossed cloth," originally past participle of broccare "to stud, set with nails," from brocco "small nail," from L. broccus "projecting, pointed."