This is the 1842nd most frequent French word.
houlette
Shepherd's staff or leadership.
In this context, 'houlette' refers to the staff used by a shepherd to guide sheep.
Le berger tient une houlette pendant qu'il guide les moutons.
The shepherd holds a staff while guiding the sheep.
Here, 'houlette' is used metaphorically to mean leadership or guidance.
Sous la houlette du directeur, l'équipe a mené le projet à son terme.
Under the leadership of the director, the team completed the project.
'Houlette' refers to a physical artifact, specifically a carved shepherd's staff.