Glossary

HERALDRY IN THE SCHER COLLECTION OF COMMEMORATIVE MEDALS

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A
Abased	Applied to an ordinary, or other charge, that occupies a lower position than usual in the shield.
Abatement	Term for certain armorial symbols or charges that were marks of dishonor in some countries.
Accosted	Placed side by side.
Achievement	A complete display of armorial bearings, including the shield with arms, the crest displayed on the helm, the supporters that flank and hold the shield, the mantling, and the motto, if any.
Addorsed	Two animals, birds, etc., back to back.
Affronty	Describes charges, generally animals, shown with head and body facing the spectator.
Aile/Aislé	Winged.
Alerion	A young eagle displayed without beak or legs.
Angled	Having figures in the angles.
Annulet	A ring or circle with an open center; as a mark of cadency, it indicates a fifth son.
Argent	The heraldic color silver.
Armed	Describes claws, horns, talons, etc.
Armiger	A person entitled to bear heraldic arms.
Armorial bearings	A heraldic achievement.
Arms	Applies to the shield and its charges.
Attired	Used instead of armed for horns of a deer.
Azure	The heraldic term for the color blue.
B
Balls	The color must be specified, and they are shaded in contrast to bezants and plates, which are flat and sometimes figured.
Banded	Encircled with a band, applied to sheaves of arrows, and to garbs when tied of another color.
Bar	One of the ordinaries: a horizontal band narrower than a fess; usually used when two or three are charged on a field.
Bar sinister	A diagonal bar running from the top right to the lower left; the mark of bastardy.
Barbed	Describes leaves between petals or of the head of an arrow or spear.
Barbel	A fish noted for the whisker-like sense organs around its mouth. Bar in French.
Barruly/Burely	A barry field of ten or more divisions.
Barry	Covered with equally spaced horizontal bars.
Barry-bendy	Divided into lozenge-shaped pieces by horizontal and diagonal lines intersecting.
Bar-wise	Horizontally.
Base	The bottom third of a shield.
Basilisk	Mythical monster resembling a wyvern with a dragon’s head at the end of its tail.
Baton	A coupled bendlet.
Beaked	Describes a bird whose beak has a different tincture from its body.
Bend	One of the ordinaries: a broad diagonal band from the dexter chief to the sinister base of the shield.
Bend sinister	A broad band descending from the sinister chief to the dexter base, dividing the shield into two equal parts.
Bendlet	A narrow band (see bend).
Bendy	Covered with equally spaced bends.
Between	Describes the main charge of a shield when secondary ones appear on either side.
Bezant/Besant	A gold plate or a flat piece of gold without impression.
Bezanty	Semy of bezants.
Billet	A small rectangular figure placed vertically.
Billety	Semy of billets.
Blazon	The technical description of armorial bearings.
Bordure	A narrow border around the edge of a shield.
Bottony	Applied to crosses, crosslets, etc., whose arms end in a trefoil shape.
Bretressed	Embattled counterembattled when the inward and outward embattlements lie opposite each other.
Buckle	Stylized charge in the form of a buckle.
C
Cabossed/Caboshed	The head of an animal or bird, without neck, facing the viewer.
Cabré	A term applied to a horse salient.
Cadency marks	A means of distinguishing among brothers or among descendants of various brothers. The most often encountered are the label, crescent, mullet, martlet, and annulet.
Canting arms	Armorial devices or compositions that allude in a punning way to the bearer’s arms (e.g., a lion for Leon).
Canton	A small square, usually in the dexter chief (to the viewer, the upper-left corner).
Cartouche	An oval shield.
Chapé	See tierced.
Chapé ployé	See tierced in mantle.
Charge	Any design placed or superimposed on the field of a coat of arms.
Charged	Applied to a field, ordinary, or other bearing, upon which a charge is placed.
Chequy/Checky	A pattern of squares in alternating colors, like a checkerboard.
Chevron	One of the ordinaries: a broad inverted “V” across the shield.
Chevronny	Describes a shield and its charges divided into an even number of equal chevrons of alternate tinctures.
Chief	The upper third of the field of a shield.
Cinquefoil	A five-petaled leaf or flower.
Cockatrice	See basilisk.
Colour	Generic term that refers only to gules, sable, azure, vert, and purpure (that is, not metals or furs).
Combatant	Fighting; said of two lions or other beasts rampant face to face.
Compartment	The representation of the ground or other surface upon which the supporters, shield, and motto stand.
Compony/Gobony	Describes ordinaries divided into equal square or rectangular compartments of alternate tinctures.
Conjoined	Joined together.
Contourné	Describes an animal whose body and head face to the sinister.
Coronet	A support for a crest that is shaped like a crown.
Cotise	A narrow band on each side of a charge such as a bar or bend.
Couchant	Of an animal (usually a lion or dog): lying on its stomach, forelegs stretched out, hind legs curled beneath, and head erect.
Counter-change	A reversal of the tinctures.
Counter-compony	Two adjacent rows, checkerboard pattern.
Couped	Cut off with a straight edge (as of a head).
Courant	Running.
Crampons	Hooks used in building, usually borne singly but in pairs in British armory.
Crancelin	A crown of rue or arched wreath placed in bend seen especially in the arms of Saxony.
Crenellated	See embattled.
Crescent	A half-moon pointing upward; as a mark of cadency, the sign of a second son.
Crest	An identifying device on top of a helm.
Cross	One of the ordinaries: a composite of a pale and a fess.
(a) Calvary cross	A long cross placed on steps (on a blazon, the number of steps or degrees must be stated).
(b) Cross-crosslet	A cross with each of its limbs crossed.
(c) Cross flory	A cross, the ends of which are fleurs-de-lis.
(d) Cross moline	A cross with limbs splayed at the ends.
(e) Cross paty	A splayed cross with straight ends.
(f) Cross potent	Describes crutch-shaped limbs.
(g) Tau cross	A cross that has no upper limb with others slightly splayed.
Crown of rue	See crancelin.
Crowned	Describes animals wearing a crown.
Crusily	Spattered with cross-crosslets.
D
Dancetty/Dancetté	Continuous line of broad zigzags.
Debruised	The term employed when a bend, fess, or other ordinary is placed across an animal or other charge, which is then said to be debruised by the ordinary.
Dexter	The right side. When applied to a shield, it refers to the portion that would be to the right for a person carrying it. It is therefore that portion to the viewer’s left.
Diaper	A pattern or design that covers otherwise plain areas of the field or charges.
Diapered	Covered with fret-work or floral enrichment of a color differing from the rest of the bearing.
Differencing	Describes various methods of altering a coat of arms to distinguish it from similar arms.
Dimidiation	Method of impalement in which the dexter half of one coat of arms is joined to the sinister half of the other.
Displayed	Birds of prey placed affronté with expanded wings and extended legs.
Double-headed	Having two heads, often describing the eagle.
E
Embattled	Having battlements like the wall of a fortress; the pieces projecting upward are called merlons, the intervening spaces embrasures (also termed crenellated).
Embattlement	With an indented edge looking like battlements.
Embowed	Describes charges with curved or bent edges.
En soleil	Displayed over the rays of a sun.
Enfiled	Encircled or environed.
Engrailed	A line of semi-circles pointing outward.
Ensign	A square flag.
Equipped	Fully armed and caparisoned; rigged.
Eradicated	Torn up by the roots; applied to trees and plants.
Erased	Cut off raggedly; the jagged ends of a neck, usually of an animal or bird.
Erect	In a vertical or upright position.
Ermine	One of the heraldic furs: white, powdered with black ermine tails.
Escallop	Seashell of a scallop pattern.
Escarbuncle	The term applied to a bearing that originated in the iron bands radiating from the center of an ancient shield and serving to strengthen it.
Escutcheon	A small shield.
Estoille	A five-pointed star with wavy edges.
F
Fess	One of the ordinaries: a broad horizontal band across the middle of the field.
Fess point	The point in the center of the shield.
Field	The basic surface of the shield on which charges are placed. When blazoning, the field is always stated first.
Figured	A term applied to the sun, crescents, coins, etc., when they contain a human face; and to bezants or plates stamped like a coin.
Fimbriated	Having a narrow border.
Fitchy/Fitché/Fitched	Pointed end to the lower limb of a cross.
Fleur-de-lis	The cadency mark of a sixth son.
Fleury	Spattered with fleurs-de-lis.
Flory	Fleurs-de-lis at the limb ends of a cross.
Foliated	Having leaves.
Formy	See paty.
Fret	A mascle interlaced by a bendlet dexter and a bendlet sinister (i.e., a voided diamond with diagonal bands running through it).
Fretty	A field covered by interlaced bendlets and bendlets sinister.
Furnished	Equipped or provided with sails, ropes, etc.
Furs	Tinctures representing in a conventional and stylized manner the pelts with which combatants sometimes covered their shields in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The two main furs are vair and ermine.
Fusil	An elongated lozenge; a pattern of horizontal fusils is fusilly.
Fusilly	See fusil.
G
Garb	A wheat sheaf.
Gardant	Full-faced.
Garnished	Ornamented.
Golpe	A purple roundel.
Gorged	Wearing a collar.
Gorget	A collar, chain, etc., round the neck of an animal or bird.
Griffin/Gryphon	A mythical monster: eagle in front, lion behind. The female griffin has wings; the male has none.
Guardant	Looking toward the viewer.
Gules	The heraldic color red.
Gyron	A triangular sector of the shield formed by half a bend line and half a fess line meeting in the middle of the field.
Gyronny	The field is divided into eight segments by lines in pale, fess, bend, and bend sinister.
H
Habited	Clothed, vested.
Hauriant	The position of a fish in vertical position, head upward.
Helm/Helmet	A traditional part of a heraldic achievement.
Honor point	The upper middle part of a shield.
Hoofed	Having the hooves of a particular tincture (distinguish from unguled, which applies only to beasts with cloven feet.)
I
Impaled	Coats conjoined paleways, that is, by dividing the shield into two parts by a perpendicular line and placing one coat on each side thereof. On a shield, the husband’s arms are displayed to the viewer’s left, the wife’s to the right.
In bend	Diagonally.
In fess	Horizontally, across the center of the field.
In orle	Following along the inside edge of a shield.
In pale	Centrally, one above the other.
Indented	Continuous line of narrow zigzags.
Inescutcheon	A shield placed as a charge on another shield.
Invected	A line of semi-circles pointing inward.
J
Jessant/Issuant	Issuing or emerging from.
K
Kleestängel (Trefoil)	A trefoil with extended, curved stem applied to the wings of an eagle, especially in German heraldry.
L
Label	Horizontal band at the top across other charges, usually with three pendant ribbons. It has been used as a mark of difference. As a cadency mark, it is the sign of an eldest son.
Lambrequin	See mantling.
Langued	Describes the tongue of an animal or bird when it is of a different tincture from the rest of a beast or bird, or from that usually employed.
Legged	Applied when the legs of a bird differ in tincture from the rest of the body.
Lines of partition	Generic term for geometrical shapes formed by lines of partition (vertical, horizontal, or diagonal) that divide the shield into an even number of equal parts of alternate tinctures.
Lozenge	A diamond-shaped figure.
Lozengy	A field covered with or divided into lozenges.
Luce/Lucy	A pike fish.
M
Mantling	Originally a cloth cap worn from the back of the helmet to protect the metal from the sun. It is shown on an achievement as drapery hanging from the helm, falling away on either side of the shield of arms.
Marshalling	Combining more than one coat of arms.
Martlet	A mythical bird without legs, like a martin or swallow. As a mark of cadency, it signifies a fourth son.
Mascle	A lozenge with an open or voided center.
Maunch	A lady’s sleeve with a long pendant lappet or cuff.
Melusine	A mermaid.
Membered	Describes a bird’s legs.
Mill rind/Fer-de-moline	The iron centerpiece of a millstone; a stylized charge formed of two “C”-shaped hooks.
Mullet/Molet	A five-pointed star with straight rays. If the star has more than five rays, the fact must be specified. When it represents the rowel of a spur, its center is pierced. As a mark of cadency, it signifies a third son.
Mount	Applied to a stylized charge in a crest depicting a mound or hill, especially one in the base of a shield.
N
Naiant	Describes a fish swimming fessways or horizontally.
Naissant	Describes a charge that issues from the middle of a fess or other ordinary.
Nebuly	Curved or wavy lines.
Nimbus	A halo.
O
Octofoil	A double quatrefoil. A cadency mark for the ninth son.
Ogress	A black roundel.
Or	The heraldic color gold.
Ordinaries	The ten simplest and oldest charges (e.g., chief, fess, pale, bend, chevron, pile, cross, saltire, pall, bar).
Orle	A bordure inside the shield that does not reach the edges.
Over all	Describes a charge superimposed on other charges.
P
Pale	One of the ordinaries; a perpendicular band down the middle of the field.
Pall	One of the ordinaries; a “T”-shaped figure.
Pallet	A diminutive of the pale; applied when more than one pale appears on a field.
Paly	Describes a shield, ordinaries, lines of partition, and any charges divided vertically into an even number of equal parts of alternate tinctures.
Party	Formerly used with per to denote a field or charge that is divided by a line drawn in the direction of the ordinary named: per bend, fess, pale, etc. See per.
Passant	Describes an animal in walking position, with three paws on the ground, right forepaw raised, head forward, and tail curved over the back.
Passant-gardant	Denotes a beast that is walking forward with its head affronté, i.e., facing the viewer.
Paty	Splayed cross with straight limb ends (also formy).
Pellet	A black roundel.
Per	The phrases used to indicate that the field or charge is divided by a line drawn in the direction of the ordinary named.
(a) Per bend	The field is divided diagonally from top left to bottom right (as seen by the viewer).
(b) Per chevron	The field is divided by a chevron.
(c) Per fess	The field is divided horizontally across the center.
(d) Per pale	The shield is divided vertically up the middle.
(e) Per saltire	The shield is divided "X"-wise.
Pheon	An arrowhead with its inner edges engrailed.
Pierced	A charge with a round hole in the center.
Pile	One of the ordinaries consisting of a triangular wedge emerging from the chief or, when reversed, the base.
Plate	A silver roundel.
Point	The base of a shield.
Pomey	A green roundel.
Potent	Crutch-shaped; a variety of the armorial fur vair. See cross potent.
Powdered	See semé/semée/semy/powdered.
Proper	In natural appearance and color.
Purpure	The heraldic color purple.
Q
Quartered	Divided into quarters or quarterings.
Quarterings	Different coats, not necessarily four in number, combined in one escutcheon to denote descent and/or territorial rule.
Quatrefoil	A four-petaled leaf or flower.
Queue fourché	Having a double tail often intertwined.
Queue fourché en saltire	Having a forked and crossed tail.
R
Radiant	Shining with rays.
Raguly	A line in the pattern.
Rampant	Describes an erect animal, with one paw on the ground, three paws raised, head forward, and tail erect.
Rampant guardant	The rampant position but with the head toward the viewer.
Rampant reguardant	The rampant position but with the head looking back over the shoulders.
Rayonnant	Adorned with beams of light.
Rays	Of the sun, sixteen in number.
Rebus	A device that is a pictorial pun on the name of the bearer.
Regalienfeld	An empty red field in a compound field of arms, usually at the base. It indicates certain powers to which the bearer of the arms, usually a head of state, is entitled.
Roundel	A circular disc. Roundels have been given different names: bezant, a gold roundel; plate, silver; torteau, red; pomey, green; pellet, black; and golpe, purple.
S
Sable	The heraldic color black.
Salient	Describes the position of an animal with both hind paws on the ground, ready to leap.
Saltire	One of the ordinaries; two crossed diagonal arms, like the letter “X.”
Scallop	See escallop.
Seeded	Describes seed vessels of a flower. Also applied to a pomegranate.
Segreant	Applied to a wyvern or griffin when represented rampant with endorsed or expanded wings.
Sejant	Sitting.
Semé/semée/semy/powdered	Spattered or strewn with an unspecified number of charges.
Sinister	The left side. When applied to a shield, it refers to the portion that would be to the left for a person carrying it. Thus, it is that portion to the viewer’s right.
Sixfoil	A flower-like charge with six petals.
Slipped	Having a slip or stalk torn off from the stem; applied to leaves and flowers.
Soutiens	See supporters.
Splendor	A term applied to the sun irradiated and having a human face.
Statant	Describes an animal standing, all feet on the ground.
Stringed	Said of a musical instrument with cords or strings; also of the cord or belt of a bugle or post horn.
Subordinaries	Heraldic charges also of frequent use, but not so important as the primary ordinaries. The distinction is arbitrary.
Sun	Usually shown with long, wedge-shaped rays that are alternately straight and wavy, and with a human face. It is typically blazoned a sun in his splendor.
Supporters	Describes the figures around a shield and appearing to support it. In French heraldry, some theorists distinguish among human supporters (tenants), beasts (supports), and inanimate objects or plants (soutiens).
Supports	See supporters.
T
Talbot	A hunting dog with hanging ears.
Tau	A cross in the shape of a “T.”
Tenants	See supporters.
Tierced	Divided into three approximately equal areas in the form of a “Y”; applied to the field.
Tierced in mantle	The same as tierced but with the “Y” inverted and the lines arched.
Tincture	Refers to colors, metals, and fur in a blazon.
Torteau	A red roundel.
Trefoil	A three-petaled, flowerlike figure.
Tressure-flory	A small single orle ornamented with fleurs-de-lis, all the heads of which point outward, and the stalks inward.
Trippant	Describes a stag passant.
Tun	A barrel, frequently used in canting or punning arms.
U
Undy	Wavy.
Unguled	Having hooves; applied to stags, unicorns, bulls, etc., whose cloven feet are of a different tincture from the rest of the body.
V
Vair	One of the heraldic furs, meant to depict a squirrel skin or several squirrel skins stitched together. Conventionally shown by a bell-shaped pattern with alternating pieces of blue and white.
Vert	The heraldic color green.
Vested	Clothed.
Virolé	See banded.
Volant	Flying.
W
Water bags/Water bougets	As a charge, a stylized version of two leather water bags supported by a yoke.
Wavy	Undulating.
Wreath	A cord of six twists alternating in color between that of the helm and that of the crest.
Wyvern	Similar to a dragon but without rear legs, its hind quarters being those of a serpent and ending in a barbed tail.

This glossary is adapted from “A Glossary of Heraldic Terms” (hamline.edu/offices/archives/brass-rubbings/heraldic-terms) and from glossaries of heraldic terms in Michel Pastoureau, Heraldry: Its Origins and Meaning (London, 1997), and in volume 1 of John Woodward, A Treatise on Heraldry: British and Foreign (Edinburgh and London, 1896).