abatement:
heraldic mark of dishonor
accolee:
descriptive term for two coats of arms set side by side,
to indicate marriage, with the charges on each facing each
other
addorsed:
the description of two charges facing away from each other
ARGENT:
heraldry term for the "metal" color silver
armed:
of a human being, clothed in armor; of a beast,
having teeth, beak or claws in a separate color
armiger:
a person who is entitled to bear arms
arming cap: a
padded cap worn under a helmet
arming doublet:
a long-sleeved, hip-length tunic worn as an undergarment
for armor
armorial
bearings: the symbols borne by an armiger to distinguish
him or her from others (Also see shield, arms, Coat of Arms)
armorial:
a roll, scroll or, book listing armorial bearings
arranged alphabetically by the names of the bearers
armory:
the study of coats of arms, heraldry
at
gaze: of deer, looking towards the viewer
attainder:
the extinction of civil rights, including the right to bear
arms or titles, following conviction for treason or felony
attitude:
of a beast or human being, posture
attribute:
of a beast or human being, a characteristic with which it
is represented
attributed arms:
arms devised posthumously for individuals who lived before
the age of heraldry
augmentation:
an addition to the arms that reflects the gratitude
of the donor (usually a sovereign)
aventail:
a chain mail neck guard
AZURE:
heraldic term for the color blue
bachelor:
a knight of the lower order
badge:
a heraldic device belonging to an armiger, worn by retainers
banner:
a square or oblong flag bearing a knight's arm
bar:
a narrow horizontal stripe
baron: heraldic
term for a husband; also the lowest rank of the peerage
banneret:
1 a high-ranking knight
in command of a body of men; 2 a square or oblong banner
denoting his presence in battle
bascinet:
a lightweight, close-fitting domed helmet
Bath, Order
of the: a British chivalric
order
baton:
a narrow diagonal band, which does not reach the edges of
the shield
beadsman:
someone who was employed to pray for another person or group
of people
bend:
a diagonal stripe on a shield, from dexter chief to sinister
base
bend sinister:
a diagonal stripe on a shield, from sinister chief to dexter
base, often used as a mark of illegitimacy
bendlet:
a narrow bend
bezant:
a gold roundel
billet:
a small rectangular charge billetty: covered all over with
billets
blazon:
the verbal description of armorial bearings
BLEU
CELESTE: sky blue
bonacon:
a mythical heraldic beast bordure: a narrow band around
the edge of the shield
boss:
a circular protruding central knob on a shield
brizure:
a difference mark used in cadency
cadency:
differencing marks (small charges) used to distinguish parents
from children. Modern Heraldry uses both the English marks
of cadency and the Canadian (female) marks of cadency:
canting: of
arms, with a design that alludes to the name of the bearer,
also known as punning arms
canton:
a square section, smaller than a quarter, in the top dexter
or sinister corner of a shield
chamfron:
a horse's head-guard
chapeau:
a hat with a turned-up fur lining, symbolizing dignity
charge: a
device
chequey: a
pattern of two alternating colors resembling a checker board
chevron:
an inverted V-shaped stripe on a shield
chevronel:
a small, thinner chevron, orr bent bar, on a shield
chief:
the upper third of the shield
cinquefoil:
a stylized flower with five petals
cipher:
a monogram
coat
armor: a quilted linen garment worn over armor and
emblazoned with armorial bearings
coat of arms:
the common term for the heraldic shield
cockatrice:
a mythical heraldic monster, part serpent and part
cockerel
cognizance:
a distinguishing badge
color:
one of seven most commonly used colors in heraldry: Red, blue,
green, purple, orange, maroon, and sky blue. The last three
were used less often, especially orange because in ancient
times it was difficult to find stable dyes for this color.
compartment: the
representation of the ground or other surface on which the
supporters, shield and or motto appear to stand on
coronel:
blunted, crown-shaped lance tip used in jousting
couchant:
of a beast, lying down with head erect
counter-charged: descriptive
of a partitioned shield where the disposition of tinctures
on one side of the partition line is reversed on the other
side
counterermine:
see ermines
couped:
of a charge, such as an arm or branch, clean cut
couter: armor
worn to protect the elbow
crest: a three-dimensional object adorning the top of the helmet, just above the wreath
cross: one of the honorable ordinaries, a geometric charge made by combining a pale and fess ordinary. One of the most adopted and modified ordinaries due to its religious significance. (see ordinaries)
cuirass:
plate armor for the torso
cuisse:
leg armor
cushion:
a charge in the shape of a cushion with tassels at the comers
dancetty:
"dancing", of a line of partition, a zigzag with large indentations
delf:
a square geometric charge dexter: right (from the point of
view of the shield bearer)
diaper:
an all-over pattern resembling designs woven into damask
fabric
difference mark:
a charge added to a shield to differentiate a branch of a
family
dimidiated:
an early form of marshalling arms by halving them
divisions:
geometric patterens that divide the colors on the field (
see below):1 per fesse,
2 per pale, 3 per bend,
4 per bend sinister, 5
per chevron, 6
per saltire,7 Champagne, 8
quartered, 9 bendy, 10
bendy sinister, 11 barry, 12
paly, 13 chequy,
14 chevronny, 15
lozengy, 16 barry-bendy, 17
pily-bendy, 18 pily, 19
pily-bendy sinister, 20 gyronny,
21 paly-bendy...
dovetailed: of
a line of partition, like a joint in carpentry
embattled:
of a line of partition, like battlements
engrailed:
of a line of partition, scalloped, with the points
facing outwards
ensign:
to place a crown, coronet, cap, helmet or cross above, and
touching, a charge
erased: of
a charge such as a limb, torn off
ermine:
one of the furs, white with black tails (the stoat's winter
coat)
ermines or counterermine:
one of the furs, black
with white tails
erminites: like
ermine, with a red spot on each side of the black tail
erminois:
one of the furs, gold with black tails
escarbuncle:
a wheel-like device with spokes radiating from the centre
of the shield
escutcheon:
a small shield escutcheon of pretence: a small shield bearing
the wife's family arms set in the centre of her husband's
shield
estoile: star
with wavy points
femme:
heraldic term for a wife fess: a horizontal stripe
across the middle of the shield
field:
the background tincture of the shield
fimbriated:
of a charge, edged with a narrow band of another tincture
fitched: usually
of a cross, pointed at the foot
flanches or flaunches:
a pair of curved segments on each side of the shield
fleur de lis:
the symbol of France; a stylized heraldic lily forming a cross,
having triangular limbs wide at the ends and narrow at the
centre
fountain:
a roundel bearing blue and white wavy bars
fraise:
a white cinquefoil representing the strawberry flower
fret:
a voided lozenge interlaced with a bendlet and a bendlet sinister
fretty: covered
all over with a grid of diagonal lines
full
achievement: the complete display of
armorial bearings
FUR: term
used to denote a heraldic patern, usually using a backdrop
and small charges representing animal pelts or smaller geometric
shapes repeated throughout the background:
1 ermine, 2 ermines,
3 erminois,
4 pean, 5 vair,
6 countervair, 7
potent,, 8 counterpotent
fusil:
an elongated lozenge
gambeson:
a quilted undergarment worn with chain mail
gambs:
animals' paws
garb:
a sheaf (usually of wheat)
Garter
King of Arms: the most senior English herald
Garter,
Order of the: the senior order of knighthood in England
golpe:
a purple roundel
gonfalone:
a large flag often hung from a cross-beam
gonfalonier:
a standard-bearer of the Church
gore:
a portion of the shield cut off by a curved line, like a flanch,
but ending in a point
gouttes:
small roundels or droplets
goutty:
covered all over with gouttes
great
helm: a helmet made with a series of hammered plates
rising to a gradual point
greaves:
leg-guards
griffin
or gryphon: a mythical monster with the forepart of
an eagle and the hindquarters of a lion
guardant:
of a beast or human being, looking out of the shield
at the viewer
guidon:
a long flag used in battle as a marker or standard
guige:
a strap to hold a shield when not in use
GUILES: heraldry
term for the color red
gusset: a
side portion of the shield, cut off at top and bottom by diagonal
lines
gyron:
a wedge-shaped charge
gyronny:
covered with gyrons, arranged around the centre of the shield
harness:
a suit of armor
hatchment:
a diamond-shaped board painted with a coat of arms
to indicate the death of the bearer
heater
shield: shield shaped like the base of a flatiron
heraldic heiress:
the daughter of an armiger,
who inherits his arms in the absence of any sons
hoist:
the area at the top of a flag near the pole
honour
point: the upper middle point of a shield
hurt:
a blue roundel
imbrued:
bloodied
impalement:
the placing of two coats of arms side by side on a single
shield
impress
or impresa: a personal badge incorporating a motto
in
chase: of deer, running
indented:
of a line of partition, with small saw-like points
inescutcheon:
a small shield borne in the centre of another shield
invected:
as engrailed, with points facing inwards
jupon:
a short, close-fitting quilted coat, usually decorated with
the bearer's arms
king of arms: a
senior herald knight
label:
a difference mark across the chief of the shield applied to
the arms of a son, usually the heir
langued:
of a beast, with a tongue in a separate colour
line of partition:
a line delineating a division of the shield
lists:
a jousting enclosure at a tournament
livery:
the uniform worn by a lord's retainers, made in his colors
livery collar:
a chain of office indicating allegiance
lodged:
of a deer, lying down
lozenge: 1
a diamond-shaped charge; 2 a diamond-shaped device used to
display the arms of women
Lyon, Lord:
the chief herald in Scotland
mantling:
material protecting the back and sides of the helmet and the
wearers neck
marshal:
to combine two or more coats of arms on one shield
mascle:
a lozenge with its centre removed
matriculation
of arms: the updating of family arms in Scotland
maunch:
a medieval sleeve with a hanging pocket
melee:
a battle staged as a tournament event
metal: the
heraldic term for yellow 1 (gold) and white 2 (silver)
mullet:
a five-pointed star
mural
coronet: a circlet of stone with battlements or columns
MURREY:
mulberry, a purplish-red
nebuly:
of a line oj partition, shaped like the edges of clouds
nombril
or navel point: the lower middle point of a shield
officer
of arms: a herald
ogress:
a black roundel
OR: heraldry
term for the "metal" color gold
ordinary:
1 a basic geometric charge on a shield; 2 a roll of
arms in which arms are catalogued according to the charges
they bear: See below: 1 The Chief;
2 Fesse, bar, barrulet; 3
Bend, bendlet, riband; 4 Saltire,
fillet saltire; 5 Pall, fillet
pall; 6 Pile, 3 piles in point;
7 Cross, fillet cross; 8
Pale, 3 pallets; 9 Chevron, chevronels...
orle: a
narrow band following, but set in from, the edge of the shield
pageant helmet:
a helmet with ornamental bars across the face
pairle:
a division of the field into three sections radiating from
the center
pale:
a vertical band down the middle of the shield
pall: a
Y-shaped band on a shield
panache:
a feathered crest
partition lines: see
lines of partition
passant:
of a beast, walking across the shield
patty:
of a cross, having triangular limbs which are wide
at the ends and narrow at the center
pean:
one of the jurs, black with gold tails
pellet:
a black roundel
pencil:
a small pennon
pennon:
a personal flag, long and tapering, with a rounded
or divided end
peytrel:
a horses chest-plate
pheon:
an arrowhead
pile:
an ordinary consisting of a triangular wedge with one side
along the top of the shield
plate:
a silver roundel
point:
the base of the shield cut off by a horizontal line
point
champain: the base of the shield cut off by a shallow
concave line
pomme:
a green roundel
potent:
in the shape of a crutch
proper:
shown in natural colors or form
punning
arms: see canting
PURPURE:
heraldry term for the color purple
pursuivant:
a junior herald
quarter:
1 a sub-ordinary occupying the top dexter quarter of the shield;
2 to divide a shield into any number of divisions each bearing
a different coat of arms
quatrefoil:
a stylized four-petalled flower, similar to a clover
leaf
queue
fourchy: a forked tail
raguly: of
a line oj partition, like battlements but set obliquely
rampant:
of a beast, rearing up to fight
recursant:
usually of an eagle, displayed with its back towards
the viewer
reguardant:
looking backwards
respectant:
of two beasts or human beings, looking at each other
reversed:
upside-down
roll
of arms: a herald's catalogue of coats of arms
roundel:
a circular charge
rustre:
a charge like a lozenge with a hole in the middle
SABLE: the heraldic
term for the color black
saltire:
a diagonal cross on a shield
SANGUINE:
heraldic term for the color blood red
segreant:
of a grijfin, rearing up to fight
sejant: of
a beast, sitting upright facing dexter
semy:
covered all over with small charges
shield:
where the actual "Arms" are displayed, see examples
below:
sinister:
left (from the point of view of the bearer of the shield)
springing:
of a deer, leaping
stain:
a heraldic colour that is not one of the primaries
standard:
a long tapering flag in livery colors bearing the national
emblem, usually placed at the commander's tent
statant:
of a beast, standing facing dexter
sub-ordinaries:
one of the smaller, less frequently used geometric
charges: 1 quarter,
2 gyron, 3 canton, 4
inescutcheon, 5 orle,
6 treasure, 7
bordure, 8 flanches, 9
fret, 10 lozenge, 11
mascle, 12 fusil, 13
billet...
supporters:
figures supporting the shield of arms
surcoat:
a quilted linen garment worn over armor and emblazoned with
coats of arms
tabard:a
short tunic emblazoned with coats oj arms and worn by heralds
talbot:
a large hunting hound, now extinct
targe:
a shield
TENNY:
heraldic term for the color tawny orange
Thistle,
Order of the: the senior order of knighthood in Scotland
tierced in pairle:
of a shield, divided
in three in the form of a Y
tilt:
a wooden jousting barrier
tincture:
the generic term for heraldic colors, stains, metals and furs
torse:
see wreath
tourney
shield: a small rectangular shield, with a notch for
a lance
tourteau:
a red roundel
trapper:
a development of the saddle-cloth which covered the horse
entirely, decorated with armorial bearings
tressure:
a narrow band following, but set in from, the edge of the
shield, narrower than the orle but often doubled
tricking:
a method of noting a blazon in shorthand
trippant:
of deer, walking or trotting across a shield
vair:
one of the furs, represented as a pattern of blue and
white
VERT: heraldry
term for the color green
visor:
the opening front of a helmet
voided:
of a charge, represented in outline only
vulned:
of a beast, wounded and bleeding
wreath,
torse: a twisted cord of material around the top
of the helmet, below the crest
wyvern:
a heraldic winged dragon with two feet and a serpentine
tail
yale:
a heraldic beast resembling an antelope with tusks
and curved horns, always shown parted.
This Glossary is a
complilation of heraldic terms found in a variety of books
on the subject of heraldry. Modern Heraldry would like to
site information from the following sources: The Complete
Book of Heraldry by Stephen Slater, circa 2002; An
introduction to Heraldry by W. H. ST. John Hope, circa
1913; The Elements of Heraldry by William H. Whitmore,
circa 1866...
