Alphabetic List

This list is probably not comprehensive. Some terms, e.g. those referring to ordinaries and sub-ordinaries, have been omitted. It has been culled from various reference books over many years... If you find any mistakes, please let me know and I will try and put them right. Thanks to Don Bloomfield and Irene Szymanski for several suggestions.

Note that in many cases there are alternative spellings for terms such as semy=semé. Several of the terms are obsolete, very rarely used, or only used in French heraldry.

  A

Abaissé = abased

lowered; specifically when a charge appears lower on the shield than normal

Abouté

placed or connected end-to-end

Accollé

side-by-side, especially of 2 shields; also = gorged

Accosted

side-by-side

Acorné

horned or attired

Addorsed = adossé = endorsed

back-to-back

Affronté

(of animals) turned to face fully out of the shield. Not the same as guardant

Aiguisé = Urdé

pointed (usually of a dividing line etc.)

Aislé

winged

A la cuisse

(of animal’s leg) at the thigh, as in couped à la cuisse

Aland = alant

a mastiff with short ears

A(l)lerion

an eagle displayed without legs or beak

Alisé

globular

Allumé

(of beast’s eyes) flecked with colour

Amphipètre

a winged serpent

Amphisien cockatrice

same as Basilisk

Ancré, anchory

same as moline; of crosses, with the ends of the arms splayed and curved

Angenne

sexfoil (like a cinquefoil but with 6 petals). A French term which can also refer to 4- and 5-foils

Animé

with fire issuing from the mouth and ears (of animals)

Annodated

embowed or curved in the form of the letter S

Annulet

a ring; a sub-ordinary

Annuletté = annulated or annuly

ringed at the ends

Antelope = Ibex

heraldic monster like a tyger with serrated horns and deer’s legs. The antelope’s horns point backwards, the ibex’s forwards according to some references

Ap(p)aumé = appalmed

showing the palm (of hand or gauntlet) cf. Aversant

Apre(e)

a short-tailed ox (rare)

Argent

silver, often shown white

Aquilated

scattered with eagles’ heads (rare)

Arbalest = arblast

a crossbow

Arched = enarched

in the form of an arch

Armed

used of animals, referring to their “weapons” – claws, tusks, beaks, talons etc. which are often of a different colour from the rest of the animal

Armes parlantes

allusive arms (equivalent to a canting coat)

Arraché

same as erased

Arrondie

rounded or curved

Aspectant

looking at one another (of animals)

Aspersed

same as semé, i.e. scattered

Assis

same as séjant, i.e. sitting

Attires

antlers of stag. Attired means with antlers (usually of a particular colour)

Aulned

bearded (of barley)

Aversant

showing the back (of the hand) cf. Appaumé

Aylets

sea-swallows; birds resembling choughs

Ayrant

in the nest (used of birds; rare)

Azure

blue

Back to the Alphabet

  B

Bagwyn

a monster with the head and horns of a heraldic antelope and the body of a horse

Bailloné

gagged, e.g. a lion with a staff in its mouth

Bale-fire

a beacon (usually an iron basket on a tall pole)

Band(e)

same as a bend. See ordinaries

Bar

an ordinary, a horizontal strip half the width of a fess; usually occur in pairs. The bar gemel is a special case of a pair of narrow bars treated as a single unit

Barb

(a) an arrow head; (b) the pointed sepals of a heraldic rose

Barded

furnished with bardings, e.g. the caparison of a horse

Barnacle = breg

a curb of curious curved form, used on a horse’s nose

Barre

sometimes used to mean a bend sinister. A term used in French heraldry to mean a bend (usually dexter, but apparently occasionally also sinister). Historically it seems that barre, bande and bend(e) were interchangeable, and probably simply meant a stripe

Barrulé/y sans nombre

barry of many (unspecified number)

Barry

a division of the field into horizontal stripes, usually 6 or 8; the number should be specified

Bascinet

a type of helm

Basilisk

a monster in the form of a wyvern with a dragon’s head on the end of its tail

Ba(s)ton

a bendlet or cotise couped; originally a narrow ribbon across a shield much like a cotise

Battled

a dividing line in the form of battlements. Battled embattled or battled grady has the embattled sections themselves embattled

Battled Counter-embattled

(em)battled on both sides – used of a fess or bend which is normally only embattled on the top

Bend

an ordinary, a diagonal band across the shield (top left/bottom right as viewed). Its diminutive is a bendlet or a cotise if it is really narrow. A bend cotised is bordered on either side by a narrow cotise

Bend Sinister

like a bend but running the other way

Bendy

a division of the field into diagonal stripes (top left-bottom right as viewed). Bendy sinister has the stripes running top right-botom left as viewed)

Bengal Tiger

a realistic tiger, cf heraldic tyger

Beson = bird bolt

a blunt or round-headed arrow

Bevilled

form of dividing line

Bezant

a gold roundle

Billet

a charge which looks like a rectangular brick, taller than wide

Blasted

(of tree) leafless or withered

Botonné, botonny

with rounded, button-like projections, used of crosses

Blazon

the heraldic description of arms; there are rules for blazoning

Bouget

a stylised representation of a water carrier originally made of animal skins; a common charge

Bourdon

a palmer’s staff

Braced = brazed

interlaced (e.g. of chevrons)

Brettessé

embattled on both sides (e.g. of a fess)

Brock

badger (the animal - brock is a common dialect name, even today)

Burgeoné

a fleur de lys with closed petals, in bud

Burgonet

a type of helm

Burulé

same as barruly

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  C

Caboshed

of animal’s head: affronté and cut off so that no part of the neck is visible

Calopus = chatloup

a monster similar to a wolf but with horns

Calvary cross

a particular form of cross with a long basal part, usually shown on three steps, when it is said to be mounted on three degrees

Camelopard

a giraffe

Camelopardel

a giraffe with two long curved horns

Canting coat

a “punning”coat of arms, e.g. the de Lucy arms are gules 3 lucies hauriant or, that is 3 vertical gold lucies (pike-fish) on a red background

Canton

small square in the top corner; smaller than a quarter but bigger than a chequer

Cantoned

of a charge placed in canton’s position; also of a cross placed between 4 charges

Carbuncle = escarbuncle = charbocle

ornamental boss with sceptre-like rays, usually 8

Cat-a-mountain

the wildcat, shown as tabby

Centaur(ry) = sagittary

a centaur, i.e. a man-horse, with a bow and arrow

Cercelé = recercelé

a type of cross with much-curved ends

Cerise

same as a torteau or red roundle; the term (Fr. cherry) is obsolete

Chape

the metal tip of a scabbard

Chaplet

a garland of flowers, usually shown conventionally

Chatloup = calopus

a monster similar to a wolf but with horns

Chaussé

wearing shoes (probably chaussé of a particular colour)

Checky or Chequy

a field like a chessboard, almost always of a metal and a colour. A chequer as a charge is a single small square, usually in the topmost corner

Chevron

an ordinary, a very common charge. An upward-pointing chevron, originally derived from the rafters of a roof. The diminutive is a chevronel, and a field can be chevronny

Chief

an ordinary, a horizontal strip across the top (third) of the shield; does not oppress or over-write other charges

Chinese Dragon

a monster like a lizard; it has no wings

Cinquefoil

a very common charge, in the form of a stylised 5-petalled flower

Civic crown

a wreath of oak leaves and acorns

Clam

same as escallop (shell of a very particular form)

Clarion = claricord

an instrument (musical?) of varying form; rather like a small harp but without strings

Clechy

a rare term, usually used of crosses such as in the arms of Raymond of Toulouse (d. 1249), which are blazoned gules, a cross clechy voided and botonny or....although sources differ the most likely sense is the shape of the cross, similar to paty but with pointed ends

Climant

same as rampant; used of goats

Close

of a bird, standing on the ground, trussed, with the wimgs closed

Cloué

fastened with nails

Cockatrice

a monster, like a wyvern but with a cock’s head, comb and wattles, and a barbed tongue

Cocke

a chess-rook

Cockle = cocquel

same as escallop

Coif de mailles

a chain mail hood

Colomb

a dove

Complexed

intertwined

Componé = compony or gobony

a single row of chequers or alternating squares of 2 colours; common in borders

Concavé

arched

Confronté

(of animals) facing one another

Contoise

a scarf round a helm

Contourné

reguardant; also facing sinister

Contre-hermines

the French term for ermines; see furs

Corbie

a crow or raven

Cost

(rare term) same as cotise

Coticé

bendy of many

Cotise

a diminutive of the fess or bend ordinaries; a thin strip often bordering an ordinary, e.g. a bend cotised has a thin band parallel to the main charge, one on each side

Couchant

(of animals) lying down, but with the head and tail erect, cf. dormant

Couché

a shield hanging from its (sinister chief) corner

Counter-charged = counter-changed

swopping colours between field and charge. Commonly used when the field is parted (see Divisions of the Shield)

Counter-compony

double row of chequers

Counter-passant

passing in opposite directions. Similarly counter-rampant etc.

Coupé

parted fesswise, i.e. across the shield

Couped

cut short

Crampet

same as chape

Crancelin

a small garland; same as a bend treflé, seen for example in the arms of Saxony

Crenellé = crenellated

same as embattled

Crescent

a very common charge, a crescent shown with the points upwards

Cresset

a fire-basket (usually shown as a metal brazier)

Crined

of hair or mane (e.g. crined sable)

Cronel

“the crown-shaped head of a tournament spear”

Crosses

there are literally hundreds of heraldic crosses; see Crosses for the commoner ones

Crowns

there are several different types

Cross crosslet

a cross with each of its arms crossed at the ends; rarely occur singly, often fitchy, i.e. with a pointed foot

Crusily

scattered with little crosses

Cubit arm

a hand and arm couped below the elbow

Cuirass

a breastplate

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  D

Damasked

diapered, i.e. decorated with a fine pattern; usually an ornamental pattern used within a large expanse of a single colour as in a field

Dance, daunce or dansette

a fess dancetty; see Ordinaries

Dancetty

a dividing line with zig-zag edges

Dantelly

same as dancetty

Debruised

of a charge overlain by an ordinary, e.g. a lion debruised by a bend

Dechaussé

dismembered

Decollated = decollé

cut off at the neck

Decrescent

a crescent with its horns to the sinister cf. Increscent

Defamed = infamed

with no tail (used e.g. of lions)

Degrees

steps, as of a Calvary cross

Dexter

the right hand side of the shield, but the left as viewed

“de l’un en autre”

same as counter-charged

Disclosed

(of birds, esp. not birds of prey) with wings expanded. Equivalent to displayed, which is used of birds of prey

Displayed

(of birds, esp. eagles) with the wings held up and expanded; also used of a peacock’s tail

Disponed = disposed

arranged

Distilling

shedding drops

Dormant

(of animals) asleep, lying down with the head and (usually also) tail down, the head resting on the fore-paws. cf. couchant

Double quatrefoil

same as octofoil; like a cinquefoil but with 8 petals. Used as difference mark for 9th son

Doubling

the lining of a mantle or robe

Dovetailed

a dividing line in the form of dove-tailing

Dragon

The heraldic dragon is a 4-legged beast with a horny head, barbed tongue, scaly back, armoured rolls on the chest and belly, 2 bat-like wings, 4 legs with talons like an eagle’s, and a pointed tail often with an arrow-like end. It is usually shown rampant, statant or passant, and rarely displayed like an eagle. A sea dragon has no wings

Duciper

a cap of dignity, a special form of hat

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  E

Ecartelé

quarterly

Eguiscé

same as aiguisé

Embattled

with battlement-like projections, used of dividing lines etc., e.g. a chief embattled. See Ordinaries

Embowed

of fish, swimming with a bowed or bent (upwards) body

Embrued = imbrued

stained with blood

Enaluron

same as entoire

Endorsed

same as addorsed; also as in a pale endorsed (see Ordinaries). The endorse is a diminutive of the pale, even narrower than a pallet

Enfield

a monster with a fox’s head and ears, wolf’s body, back legs and tail, eagle’s legs and talons for forelegs

Engoulé

pierced through the mouth

Engrailed

a dividing line with semi-circular bites taken out from the field side, cf. invected

Enhanced

raised above the normal position on the shield

Ensigned

of a charge having insignia, e.g. a crown, placed above it

Enté = enty

(ancient term, now obsolete) party chevronwise

Entire

(of charge extending to the edges of the shield)

Entoire = entoyre

of a border, when charged, esp. with inanimate figures. If charged with birds, occasionally termed enaluran; with animals, enurney

Entoured

of a shield with a wreath or garland placed over it

Enurney

same as entoire

Environed = environée = enveloped

surrounded or wreathed

Equipped

fully armed or caparisoned (e.g. of a knight on horseback)

Eradicated

(of plants) uprooted

Erased

torn off to leave ragged edges (e.g. animals’ heads)

Erect

(of snakes etc.) upright, head to the top

Ermine, Ermines, Erminois

see furs – ermine is by far the commonest fur, with black tails on a white background

Ermine spots

sometimes found as charges, apart from the fur

Erminites

variation of ermine (see furs)

Erne

an eagle

Escallop

a scallop shell, usually rather stylised; a common charge

Escallopé

scattered with escallops

Escarp

same as scarp

Escartelly

a dividing line with a single battlement-like projection

Escroll

a scroll or ribbon

Escutcheon

small shield-shaped charge. An escutcheon of pretence is a small shield bearing arms superimposed over another; the superimposed arms usually belong to an (heraldic) heiress who has married the man bearing the main arms

Estoile

a star, usually shown with 6 wavy points. cf. mullet

Estoilé

scattered with stars

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  F

Falchion

a kind of scimitar

False

voided, empty

Fasces

“victor’s axe in its bundle of rods” – the bundle being of wood bound with ?leather bands

Feathered

(of arrows) flighted

Fer-de-moline

same as mill iron

Fermail, fermaux

buckle(s)

Ferr

a horseshoe

Ferrated

(rare) scattered with horseshoes

Fess

an ordinary, a horizontal stripe across the middle of the shield, occupying about a third of the height

Fess point

the central point of a shield

Fetterlock

a shackle or padlock (obsolete = shakbolt)

Figured

charged with the representation of a human face, e.g. the sun’s disc

File

(rare) same as label

Fimbriated

with a narrow border of a different colour

Firmé

extending to the edges of the shield

Fitchy

(of crosses) with the shaft tapering to a point

Flambeau

flaming torch

Fla(u)nches

curved areas at the sides of a shield; see Sub-ordinaries

Fla(u)nched

of a shield in which only the flanches are charged

Flax breaker

hemp brake, a serrated instrument

Fleam

a surgical instrument, a kind of razor with a curved blade

Flesh-pot

a cauldron, usually with three legs

Fleur de lys

a very common charge, representing a stylised lily. e.g. France (modern) is azure three fleur de lys or. The Scout badge is also a fleur de lys

Fleury

scattered with fleur de lys; also refers to charges ornamented with fleur de lys

Flittermouse

a bat (animal)

Flot(t)ant

floating

Floretty

of a cross, with fleur-de-lys like ornaments issuing from the ends, which are often shown formy

Flory

of a cross, with fleur-de-lys shaped ends

Fluke

(of an anchor) point

Foliated

with leaf-like cusps

Forcené

enraged (of a horse – rearing up with both hind legs on the ground)

Formy

same as paty (of a cross), with splayed ends

Fountain, heraldic

a roundel barry wavy argent and azure: suggests a spring of water

Fourché

forked, usually of a lion's tail, and normally into 2 parts. An early form of cross, with forked ends – see Crosses

Fracted

broken

Fraise

stylised strawberry flower, shown equally 5-pointed like a cinquefoil

Fret, Fretty

interlaced strips; a sub-ordinary

Fumant

smoking

Fusil

a narrow lozenge; a sub-ordinary. A field can be fusilly

Fylfot

a type of cross with bent arms

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  G

Gad or Gadlyng

small spike or boss on the knuckles of a gauntlet, often purely decorative

Gamb = Jamb

leg of a beast

Garb

a sheaf of corn

G(u)ardant

animal, usually lion, with its head turned to look straight out of the shield, but its body remaining in profile

Gastell

(obsolete) a roundle

Gauntlet

armoured glove

Gaze

an animal, e.g. deer, is “at gaze” when looking out of the shield; cf guardant

Ged

pike (fish)

Gemel

twinned/paired, usually of bars

Gemel or Gimmel-rings

2 or 3 annulets interlaced

Genet

spotted animal resembling a marten

Geraltyng, geratting

powdering fields (with tiny charges) for difference. Like semy, but so that ‘none of the charges are cut by the edge of the shield’

Gliding = Glissant

slithering, used of snakes

Gobony

a single row of chequers or alternating squares of 2 colours; common in borders; same as compony

Golpe

(rare) a purple roundle

Gorge

same as Gurges, a stylised whirlpool

Gorged

encircled around the neck or throat (often used when an animal has a crown or collar around the neck)

G(o)utté

scattered in drops. A goutte is a drop of liquid. It has different names depending on the colour, cf. roundles, viz:

Gradient

walking slowly, as of tortoise

Grafted

grafted and fixed into something

Grappling iron

represented as a 4-pointed anchor

Gray

a brock or badger

Greeces, grieces

steps, degrees

Grice

a young boar

Griffin or Gryphon

The head, breast and claws of an eagle, with the hindquarters and tail of a lion. It has ears. If rampant it is termed segreant. A male griffin has no wings but often has horns and a spiky tail

Gringolé = Guivré

garnished with serpents’ heads

Gules

red

Guige

shield-belt

Guivré

same as Gringolé

Gunstone, Gunshot

a black roundle

Gurge(s), Gorge

a stylised whirlpool, shown as either a spiral or concentric circles of azure and argent

Guze

a sanguine (blood-red or crimson) roundle

Gyron

a sub-ordinary; a triangle-shaped charge, half a canton

Gyronny

a field divided into (usually) eight triangular pieces meeting in the centre

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  H

Habited

clothed

Hackle

a hemp-brake, a curious agricultural tool

Halo

glory or nimbus

Harboured

same as lodged, used for “animals of the chase”, i.e. deer etc.

Harpy

a monster with the head and breasts of a woman and the body and wings of an eagle or vulture

Hauriant

(of fish) vertical with the head upwards, supposedly to breathe or draw in air

Hausé

above its normal position (very rare)

Hawk’s Lure

a decoy used in falconry, consisting of 2 wings with the points downwards, joined by a line (rope) and ring

Hayfork

same as shakefork, a Y-shaped figure

Hemp-brake

same as hackle, an agricultural tool

Hermines

ermine (in French heraldry)

Hippocampus

a (real) seahorse

Hippogriff

a monster, a kind of griffin/horse hybrid, with the front of a female griffin and the back of a horse

Humetty = Humetté

cut short at the ends

Hurst

a clump of trees or copse

Hurt

a blue roundle; possibly derived from a whortleberry or blueberry

Hydra

a 7-headed dragon

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  I

Ibex

animal similar to heraldic antelope, but with forward-pointing straight, serrated horns. Some books do not distinguish between the two animals.

Impartible arms

arms which appear to be composed of separate quarters, but which cannot be sub-divided, perhaps by reason of a border all round

Incensed

with fire coming from the mouth and ears

Increscent

a crescent with its points to dexter, cf. Decrescent

Indented

a dividing line, of small zig-zags

Inflamed

burning

Infulae

ribbons hanging from a bishop’s mitre

In Glory

of the sun – surrounded by rays

Ink-moline

a mill iron

In Lure

of 2 wings, joined and with the tips down

In Point

charges arranged pilewise, almost meeting at the base of the shield [pointe is the French term for a pile, and also the bottom of the shield]

In Pride

a peacock is “in his pride” when his tail is displayed or spread out

In Quadrangle

4 charges, one in each corner

In Splendour

of the sun with rays; similar to “in glory”

Invected

a dividing line, of semi-circular bites from the charge into the field, cf. engrailed

Inverted

of wings, with the tips down; upside down

Issuant

issuing or emerging from; usually from the bottom of a chief, or rising from another charge or the base of the shield. Can be used of a beast of which the upper half alone is visible.

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  J

Jacent

lying horizontally (rare)

Javelin

short, barbed spear

Jelopped

wattled (of cockerel)

Jessant

shooting forth (e.g. of plants)

Jessant-de-lis

with a fleur-de-lis issuing from the mouth; of animals, usually a leopard’s face

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  L

Label

a sub-ordinary in the form of a strip across the top of a shield with 3, 5 or more short vertical tabs; often white, but commonly azure in early arms, the label is frequently used to difference arms.

Langued

used of animals (see Lions) or birds – “tongued” of a particular colour

Latin or Long Cross

a cross with the lower limb longer than the other three

Latticed

same as trellissed, a trellis of overlapping strips, not interleaved but nailed together often with nails of a contrasting colour; not the same as fret(ty)

Legged

used of birds’ legs

Leopard

usually means a lion passant guardant, but recently the term also covers ‘real’ biological leopards

Lined

doubled, as in cloth linings; also having cords or chains attached to a collar etc.

Lion poisson

heraldic sea-lion, a sort of marine lion

Lindworm

(also lindorm) a heraldic dragon or wyvern without wings; a rare beast, sometimes breathing fire and usually with two legs

Liver-bird

cormorant

Lodged

of animals, lying with the legs bent under; much the same as couchant

Lozenge

a very common charge, like the diamond on playing cards; a sub-ordinary. A field can be lozengy

Luce, Lucy

pike (fish)

Lure

see Hawk’s Lure

Lymphad

ancient galley, a particular form of sailing ship

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  M

Main

hand

Manticora

a monster, a man-tiger or man-lion

Marined

of beast, ending in a fish-tail

Martlet

a bird, conventionally drawn as a swallow without feet or legs

Mascle

a voided lozenge, a Subordinary used as a mark of distinction for a divorced lady

Masoned

of masonry or buildings, when the cement or mortar is of a different colour from the stone

Ma(u)nch

a long sleeve from a lady’s gown, usually drawn conventionally. A common charge

Melusine

a two-tailed mermaid

Membered

of the legs of a bird, esp. eagle

Merlion or Merlette

a martlet or legless swallow

Mill-iron or Millrind

the iron fixing in the centre of a millstone, which takes many varied forms; occasionally the term is used for a cross moline

Misericorde

short dagger (worn on the right)

Molet, Mullet

5-pointed star; sometimes shown pierced so that a small circle of the field colour shows through in the middle. cf. estoile

Moline

of crosses, with the arms ending in a 2-way splay rather like a windmill

Monsters

there are many heraldic monsters; fantastic animals or birds, including man-animal crosses such as centaurs and mermaids

Morion

steel cap or helmet

Morse

clasp or band fastening a robe, often ornamented

Mound

an orb, i.e. a gold ball surmounted by a cross, as carried by the Sovereign at a coronation

Mount

hill or hillock

Mullet

see Molet (above)

Muraille

masoned, refers to the mortar in a wall

Murrey

mulberry-coloured; very rare

Musimon

a monster, a cross between a ram and a goat, with 4 horns

Mutil

dismembered (of animals)

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  N

Naiant = Natant

swimming horizontally (of fish)

Naissant

living creature issuant from the middle of an ordinary, usually a fess

Nebuly

a form of dividing line, similar to wavy but with deeper indents

Nerved

of the fibres or veins of leaves

Nowed

knotted, usually used of lion’s tail

Nowy

a form of dividing line with a semi-circular bump in the middle

Nuancb

same as nebuly

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  O

Obsidional crown

a garland of twigs and grasses

Ogress

a black roundle

Ond or Undd

a dividing line, rather like water waves; same as wavy

Ongl

same as unguled, i.e. hoofed (of goats, bulls etc.)

Opinicus

a monster with a griffin’s head, neck and wings, a lion’s body and a bear’s tail [heraldic bears usually have a tail!]. Some references suggest the tail is that of a camel!

Oppressed

same as debruised, i.e. obscuring an underlying charge, e.g. a lion oppressed by a bend

Or

gold, usually shown as yellow

Orange

either an orange roundle (rare) or the fruit (also rare, and likely to be blazoned an orange proper)

Oreiller

a cushion, usually the kind that has a crown or carried on it

Organ-rest

same as a clarion – a kind of musical instrument of curious form

Orle

a sub-ordinary in the form of a narrow band runing round the shield

Over all

of a charge like a bend overlying everything else on the shield, for instance quarterings

Overt

open, as of wings

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  P

Pairle or Pall

an ordinary in the shape of a Y

Pale

an ordinary – a central vertical strip occupying the central part (approx. one third) of the shield

Paly

a division of the field into vertical stripes, usually 6; best to specify the number

Pallet

the diminutive of the pale, i.e. a narrow vertical strip

Panache

an arrangement of feathers forming the crest on a helm

Panther

Much as a real panther, but usually shown incensed, i.e. with flames issuing from its mouth and ears

Papegay

a popinjay or parrot

Party

a field divided, usually into two: party per pale is divided vertically; ... per fess horizontally, ...per chevron chevronwise, etc. Party on its own implies party per pale (ancient usage)

Pascuant

grazing (of animal)

Passant

walking, of animal, usually a lion. Shown with one forepaw raised, usually facing to dexter (left as viewed). Also, of a cross whose arms extend to the edge of the shield (obsolete, say 13th century!)

Passion Cross

same as a Latin cross, i.e. with the bottom limb longer than the other three

Paternoster Cross

formed of beads (as in rosary)

Patriarchal Cross

with a long lower limb and two crossbars, the upper one being shorter; the cross of Lorraine

Patonce

of a cross with splayed ends splitting into three; “paw-shaped”. See Crosses

Paty

same as formy (of a cross), with splayed ends

Pawne

a peacock, usually in his pride, i.e. with tail fully displayed

Pean

a fur, like ermine but with gold spots on sable

Pegasus

A winged horse

Pellet

a black roundle. In early heraldry could be a roundle of any colour

Penned

of the shaft or quill of a feather

Per Fess

shield divided fesswise, i.e. horizontally. Similarly per pale for a vertical division etc. See Divisions of the Shield

Perclose

a demi-garter including the buckle and pendant

Pheon

a broad arrowhead with the inner edges engrailed

Phoenix

An eagle rising from the flames

Pile

an ordinary, a triangle issuing from the top of the shield

Pinioned

having wings

Pinson

a chaffinch

Plate

a silver roundle, derived from a silver coin

Plenitude (of moon)

the full moon

Plumetty

a field of overlapping feathers (rare)

Pommé

of crosses, with each arm ending in a single round knob, like an apple

Pommetée

same as botonny: with knob-like projections, used of crosses

Popinjay

a parrot. If blazoned proper it is shown green with a red beak and feet

Port

the gateway to a castle

Portate

of a cross, in bend as if carried on the shoulder

Potent

of a cross with crutch-shaped ends (rather like a T-piece). See Crosses

Potenty

a dividing line said to be crutch-shaped. Also a form of the fur vair

Proboscis

elephant’s trunk

Proper, propre

shown in its natural colours, commonly used for trees etc.

Purfled or Purflewed

lined, guarded or bordered with fur; of armour = garnished with gold

Purpure

purple; uncommon; in very early heraldry it seems to have meant a dark red

Python

a winged serpent

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  Q

Quatrefoil

similar to a cinquefoil, but with 4 leaves

Quilled

same as penned, of the shaft of a feather

Quise

= à la cuisse, i.e. cut off at the thigh

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  R

Raguly

a dividing line, like asymmetric battlements

Rampant

of animals, esp. lions. Rearing up, with only one paw on the ground. A very common position, seen for instance in the arms of Scotland

Rapier

a narrow, stabbing sword

Rayonn

radiant, encircled with or formed of rays; also a dividing line in the form of rays

Rebated

broken off, cut short or recessed

Recerceln

of a cross; with the ends split and splaying outwards, rather more curved than moline

Reflected

reflexed or bent, curved and carried backwards

Reg(u)ardant

of animals, especially lions; looking backwards (usually shown conventionally in an impossible anatomical position!)

Removed

out of its proper position

Reremouse

a bat (animal)

Respectant, Respecting

of animals, looking at each other

Retorted

entwined fretwise (rare)

Rising or Rousant

of birds, about to take wing

Rod of Aesculapius

a serpent entwined about a rod (a healing emblem, still used by modern pharmacies)

Rompu

broken or interrrupted. Can be used as a dividing line (rare)

Rouelle

a (spur)-rowel or pierced mullet

Roundle

a circular charge, common; a sub-ordinary. Roundles were originally all called pellets, but now this name is reserved for black ones. Different coloured roundles have different names, viz:

or	bezant
argent	plate
azure	hurt
gules	torteau
sable	pellet, ogress or gunstone
vert	pomme
purpure	golpe
tenn	orange
sanguine	guze

Roundles can also be of fur. Note the special case of a roundle which is barry wavy argent and azure known as a fountain or syke, conventionally used to represent water

Rustre

a lozenge pierced with a round hole; a sub-ordinary

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  S

Sabatons

round-toed armoured shoes

Sable

black

Salamander

a lizard-like animal always shown surrounded by flames

Salient

springing up (of animal); similar to rampant but with both front paws upwards and both hind paws on the ground

Saltire

a diagonal or St. Andrew’s cross

Saltorelle

small saltire

Sanglant

blood-stained

Sanglier

wild boar

Sanguine

a blood-red or crimson colour; uncommon

Sans nombre

of a charge; repeated many times (too many times to count)

Sarcell

cut through the middle

Scaling Ladder

a ladder with hooks at the top (for scaling walls in a siege)

Scarp or scarf

a bendlet sinister; same as escarp

Scintillant

sparkling or emitting sparks

Scocheon

escutcheon or small shield-shaped charge

Scrog

the branch of a tree

Scruttle

a winnowing fan

Sea Dog

a monster shown as a dog with fins, scales and webbed feet

Sea Horse, Sea Wolf, Sea Lion etc.

monsters incorporating the front part of the heraldic animal in question with a fish’s tail

Seax

a notched short sword or scimitar

Seeded

(of flowers) the central part of a rose etc., probably really the anthers

Segreant

same as rampant, used of griffins and dragons

Sema, Semy

scattered or strewn with (small charges), e.g. semé de lys if fleur de lys are scattered over the field. Also known as aspersed, poudr or powdered

Shakefork

a modified pall, a Y-shaped charge with the ends cut short

Sinister

the left side of the shield, but the right as viewed

Sinople

a French term for vert or green

Siren

a mermaid

Skain, skean or skane

a short sword or dagger

Slip

a twig bearing 2 or 3 leaves

Slipped

of leaf or flower, with the stalk which attached it to the parent stem

Slughorn

a slogan or Scottish battle-cry

Soaring

flying aloft

Spancelled

(of horse) with 1 fore- and 1 hind-leg secured by fetterlocks

Spear

specifically a tilting-spear as used in jousting

Spread Eagle

an eagle displayed (and a very common pub name/sign)

Springing

often used for deer etc.

Statant

standing, with all 4 feet on the gorund

Stock

the stump of a tree; also the shaft of an anchor

Subverted

reversed

Sun in his splendour

shown with rays all around, and frequently a face also, much like a child’s drawing of the sun

Sufflue

clarion, a musical instrument of curious form

Surgeant

of birds rising form the ground (rare)

Syke

same as fountain, a roundle barry wavy argent and azure

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  T

Taill>

a French term for party per bend sinister

Talbot

a hunting dog

Talent

a bezant or gold roundle, a coin

Targe(t)

a round shield

Tau Cross

a T-shaped cross; also known as St. Anthony’s Cross

Tenant

a French term referring to human supporters “holding” the shield

Tenné or Tawny

an orange or tawny colour; very rare

Timbre

a crest or crested helm

Torqued

wreathed; the torque is the wreath of twisted silk between the shield and the crest

Torteau

a red roundle; derived from “cake”

Tranch

French for party per bend

Transfixed, Transpierced

pierced through, showing the field through the hole

Transmuted

counter-charged (rare)

Transposed

of original or natural arrangement

Traversed

facing sinister (rare)

Trefln-sem

adorned with trefoils

Trefoil

a 3-way leaf like a clover or shamrock leaf; usually shown slipped, i.e. with its stalk

Treille, Trellissed

same as latticed, but different from fretty. In a trellis the pieces do not interweave but are in 2 overlapping sets nailed together

Tressure

a sub-ordinary consisting of two parallel thin bands round the edge of the shield, cf. orle

Trippant, Tripping

of stags etc., walking, usually with one foreleg raised

Troncon

cut into pieces which then stand separately but retain their original arrangement

Trumpet

shown as a long, straight instrument, a kind of war trumpet

Truncheon

the official badge of the Earl Marshal – a golden rod, tipped with black enamel at both ends. One end bears the Royal Arms, the other the Earl Marshal’s

Trussed

with the wings closed

Trussing

of birds devouring prey [?]

Tyger

monster, lion-like in overall shape but with a long curving tusk

Tynes

the points of a stag’s antlers or attires

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  U

Undy

a dividing line, same as wavy

Unicorn

The heraldic unicorn has a horse’s body, a single long horn, a lion’s tail, tufted hocks and cloven hoofs like a goat, and a beard

Urcheon, Urchin

a hedgehog

Urdy

a dividing line of pointed battlements

Uri(n)ant

diving, used of fishes swimming vertically with their heads down

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  V

Vair

a form of fur, believed to be derived from squirrel pelts; a field can be vairy if it has the same pattern as vair but different colours

Vamplate

the guard for the hand on a tilting spear

Verd, Verdoy

semy of leaves or plants

Vert

green; uncommon

Verolles

rings encircling hunting horns; also spelled Verules and Virol(l)es

Verted

Flexed or reflexed; also Reverted

Vervels, Varvels

rings at the ends of a hawk’s jesses

Vested

clothed

Voided

the charge’s centre is wholly removed leaving only an outline; the field shows through the void

Voiders

same as flaunches (rare)

Vol

2 wings joined together, their tips upwards

Volant

flying

Vorant

devouring (prey)

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  W

Water

usually represented by an heraldic fountain, which is a roundle barry wavy argent and azure

Wavy

a dividing line consisting of gentle waves or curves

Well

usually shown as a circular masonry structure in perspective

Woolpack

a fairly common charge, shown tied at each of the 4 corners

Wound

a purple roundle (rare)

Wyvern

a monster; a 2-legged dragon. If blazoned proper it is green with a red chest, belly and underwings

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  Y

Yale

a monster; a bull with a lion’s face, 2 long horns, often spiral, and a short, tufted tail

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Back to the Glossary Contents.

© Gill Smith 1997 – 2003