Heraldic Glossary
The vocabulary used in the College’s armorial, with examples to explore.
56 terms
- Achievement
- The complete armorial composition, including the shield and its accompanying bearings. See Example →
- Addorsed
- Placed back to back; used of wings held together back to back. See Example →
- Affronté
- Facing the viewer directly. See Example →
- Argent
- Silver, commonly shown as white. See Example →
- Armiger
- The person or body that bears the arms. See Example →
- Azure
- Blue. See Example →
- Badge
- An emblem described separately from the shield or crest; it may identify a person or an office. See Example →
- Barry wavy
- Divided into alternating horizontal bands with wavy edges. See Example →
- Base
- The lower part of a shield. See Example →
- Blazon
- A formal verbal description of a heraldic design. See Example →
- Bleu Céleste
- Sky blue, distinguished from Azure in descriptions that specify it. See Example →
- Bordure
- A border surrounding the field of a shield. See Example →
- Chapeau
- A cap used as the mount beneath a crest in some achievements. See Example →
- Charge
- A figure or device placed on a shield or on another heraldic element. See Example →
- Chief
- The upper area of a shield; also a broad horizontal band across its top. See Example →
- Compartment
- The ground or setting on which the supporters stand. See Example →
- Compony
- Made up of alternating rectangular pieces in two tinctures. See Example →
- Confirmation
- A recorded recognition of arms, distinguished in this register from a new grant. See Example →
- Crest
- The device placed above the helm, rather than the whole achievement. See Example →
- Dexter
- The bearer’s right: the viewer’s left when looking at the shield. See Example →
- Emblazonment
- A visual rendering of arms described by a blazon. See Example →
- Eradicated
- Shown with roots exposed, as of a tree. See Example →
- Erased
- Shown with an irregular, torn-looking edge where a part has been severed. See Example →
- Ermine
- The fur conventionally shown as black ermine spots on a white ground. See Example →
- Ermines
- The fur with white ermine spots on a black ground. See Example →
- Estoile
- A heraldic star with wavy rays. See Example →
- Field
- The background of the shield or of a particular division. See Example →
- Grant
- A new bestowal of arms, identified as such in the record. See Example →
- Guardant
- With the head turned to face the viewer. See Example →
- Gules
- Red. See Example →
- Haurient
- Upright, with the head uppermost; used here for an orca supporter. See Example →
- Inescutcheon
- A smaller shield placed upon another shield. See Example →
- Lozenge
- A diamond-shaped figure; the term can also name a diamond-shaped display of arms. See Example →
- Mantling
- Drapery issuing from the helmet, often treated as elaborate ornamental folds. See Example →
- Motto
- A phrase associated with an armiger or heraldic institution. See Example →
- Mullet
- A star with straight points, distinguished from the wavy-rayed estoile. See Example →
- Or
- Gold, commonly shown as yellow. See Example →
- Pale
- A broad vertical band down the center of a shield or device. See Example →
- Passant
- Walking, normally with one foreleg raised. See Example →
- Pellet
- A black roundel. See Example →
- Per chevron
- Divided by a line shaped like an inverted V. See Example →
- Per fess
- Divided horizontally into an upper and a lower part. See Example →
- Proper
- Represented in natural coloration. See Example →
- Purpure
- Purple. See Example →
- Quarterly
- Divided into four quarters; the arrangement may combine distinct coats of arms. See Example →
- Rampant
- Rearing upright on a hind leg, with the forelegs raised. See Example →
- Roundel
- A circular charge; some roundels have special names according to their tincture. See Example →
- Sable
- Black. See Example →
- Saltire
- A diagonal cross, shaped like an X. See Example →
- Sinister
- The bearer’s left: the viewer’s right when looking at the shield. See Example →
- Standard
- A heraldic flag with a separately described arrangement of devices and, often, a motto. See Example →
- Supporters
- Figures placed beside and supporting the shield. See Example →
- Tincture
- A heraldic metal, color, or fur. See Example →
- Torse
- A wreath, usually of intertwined colors, placed beneath the crest. See Example →
- Vert
- Green. See Example →
- Vulning
- Wounding itself; used of the pelican in the heraldic image of feeding its young with its blood. See Example →
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Sources & Further Reading
Definitions explain terms used in the College’s Register, with reference to the Court of the Lord Lyon’s Introduction to Blazon and the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies Glossary. The linked records illustrate usage.