| Term |
Alternative(s) |
Illustration |
Definition |
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| abatement |
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A supposed mark of dishonour on a coat of arms, apparently never actually used |
| achieve |
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An escutcheon or armorial shield granted in memory of some achievement |
| additament |
|
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An additional ornament external to the shield, e g supporters or symbols of office |
| addorsed |
|
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Turned back to back |
| affronté |
affrontée / affrontee |
|
Looking frontwise, or towards the beholder |
| alerion |
allerion |
|
An eagle displayed, without feet or beak |
| allusive |
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Canting |
| annulet |
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A little circle borne as a charge |
| argent |
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Silvery-white or white |
| armed |
|
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Used to describe all birds of prey whose talons and beaks are coloured with a different tincture from their bodies or quadrupeds with claws, tusks, teeth, horns etc, so variegated
(Illustration shows Gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or armed and langued Azure) |
| armiger |
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A person entitled to heraldic arms. |
| armorist |
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A person skilled in heraldry |
| armory |
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Heraldry |
| armour |
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Heraldic insignia |
| arms |
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Heraldic insignia, coat of arms |
| assurgent |
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Depicted as rising from the sea |
| augmentation |
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An additional charge in a coat of arms bestowed as a mark of honour |
| azure |
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Blue, marked in engraved figures by horizontal lines |
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| bar |
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A horizontal band across a shield, narrower than a fess but broader than a burrulet |
| baron |
|
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A husband, as opposed to feme wife |
| barrulet |
|
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A horizontal band one-quarter the width of a bar |
| base |
|
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The lower part of a shield |
| bastard-bar |
|
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An inaccurate name for the baton-sinister |
| baton |
|
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A bendlet coupé |
| bear |
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To display on one’s heraldic shield, to be entitled to do so |
| bear arms |
|
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To show or have armorial bearings |
| bend |
|
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A broad parallel band crossing a shield diagonally from dexter to sinister |
| bend-sinister |
|
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A supposed mark of illegitimacy which runs from sinister to dexter |
| bendee |
|
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Bendy |
| bendlet |
|
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A half-width bend |
| bendwise |
bendways |
|
Divided into bends |
| bezant |
|
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A small yellow circle like a gold coin |
| bezanty |
|
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Charged with bezants |
| bicorporate |
|
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Double-bodied, as the head of a lion to which two bodies are attached |
| billet |
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A bearing in the form of an upright rectangle |
| blazon |
|
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A correct description of armorial bearings (noun); to depict or to explain in heraldic terms (verb) |
| bordure |
|
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A broad border used as a charge in a coat of arms, often as a mark of difference |
| botoné |
bottony |
|
Of a cross: having the end of each limb ornamented with three projections like buds |
| brisure |
|
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A variation of or addition to a coat of arms showing the relation of a younger to the main line |
|
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| caboched |
caboshed |
 |
In full face with no neck showing |
| cabré |
|
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Rearing |
| cadence |
|
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The different steps in the descent of a family. |
| cadency |
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The relative status of the branch of a family descended from a younger son |
| Calvary |
|
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Calvary cross |
| canting arms |
|
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A coat of arms in the form of a rebus, or a visual pun on the bearer’s surname |
| canton |
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A square charge smaller than a quarter and positioned in the upper (usually dexter) corner of a shield |
| cartouche |
|
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An oval shield used for women or ecclesiastics |
| Catherine-wheel |
|
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A wheel set round with teeth |
| champ |
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A field |
| charge |
|
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To place a heraldic bearing on a shield |
| checky |
chequy |
|
Chequered – divided into squares of alternate tinctures, like a chessboard |
| chevron |
|
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The representation, usually on a shield, of two rafters of a house meeting at the top chev’rony |
| chief |
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The upper part of the field cut off by a horizontal line, generally occupying the upper third of the area of the shield Borne in the upper part of the shield |
| cinque |
|
 |
A common bearing representing a flower with five petals borne full-faced and without a stalk |
| Clarenceux |
Clarencieux |
|
The second king-of-arms in England, so named from the Duke of Clarence, son of Edward III |