A Glossary of Heraldic Terms

A little list I've been colating as I go...

Annulet
A roundel with a hole in the centre, like a ring

Argent
The tincture Silver

Billet
A small rectangle (usually vertical), representing bricks, books or tickets

Blazon
The symbol sitting at the top of the armorial

Buckle
An artistic representation of a buckle, but used by Earls, and Counts



Caped
Cut off at the neck

Catherine Wheel



Chapeau
Hat/ Ecclesiastical dignity

Clarion
A harp



Coat of Arms
The unique heraldic design on an escutcheon

Couchant
Lying down, head raised

Courant
At running speed, or in full chase

Crosses

Dexter
Right

Displayed
Wings outstretched

Ducal
Of the Duke

Erased
Looks like forcably torn off, i.e., head.

Escallop
The scallop shell - often used as a badge of pilgrims going to the Holy Land




Escarbuncle
Shields were strengthened by these iron bands



Escutcheon
Shield or Emblem bearing a Coat of Arms

Estoile
Wavy-armed star



Fitchee
To a point, i.e. a cross crosslet fitchee. Fitched - pointed end.

Fleam
A surgeon's lancet



Furs
Are the small patterns repeated on a shield, such as ermine (stoat) or vair (squirrel)
(look under tincture wiki)

Gamelle
One of Two, e.g. gemelle bars

Grenade
Fire ball



Guardant
Looking at you

Increscent
Horns turned Dexter

Halberd
Two handled pole weapon, sometimes axe/pole.

Lozenge
A diamond shape

Lodged

Martlett
Small bird - usually a swallow or lark.

Mascle
A lozenge shape voided

Mantle
A cloak, or a piece of fabric used to highlight the arms and the crest






















Maunch
Ladies sleeve



Mill-rind
Iron from the centre of a grindstone



Mitre
Bishops Hat

Mullet
Star



Mural Crown
Representation of a city wall or towers in the form of a crown

          
Or
French for Gold

Pale
Band running straight up and down on shield

Passant
Animal striding/walking (on all fours)

Pheon
A broad arrow



Portcullis
Iron gate on a castle or fort



Rampant
Standing on hind legs

Regardant
Looking backward

Roundel
A round disc or ball

Salient
Of animal standing on hind legs as if leaping at the ready.

Saltire
Diagonal Cross

Scimitar
Type of sword



Sejant
Sitting upright (animal)

Semeé
Being embellished with - stars, etc

Sinister
Left

Spur
Used on the boots of armour



Statant
On all fours, but erect, e.g. lion.

Sun in splendor
The sun with a face, and arms of rays



Supporters
The figures placed on either side of the shield - usually humans or animals

Talbot
Dog or hunting dog

Tilting Spear
Weapon of the Day, used for tournaments



Tinctures
The colours used to emblazon a coat of arms. These are divided into metals, colours, stains, furs, and proper (coloured as it would be in nature).

Vulning
Wounded

Water bouget
The sticks with which water buckets were carried over the shoulders




Ordinaries
Simple geometrical feature, with straight lines running from side to side or top to bottom of the shield. Each represents a different aspect of the family, often with additions of motifs, colours, or patterns.

Sub-Ordinaries

Divisions of the Field




Lines of Partition







Variations of the Field

Common Symbols




Crowns


(Most common being the Duke).


(Most common are the Mural, Ducal, and Naval crowns).

Other Heraldic Headwear



(Of these the most common in my research has been the chapeau, the mitre, and the chaplet).

Familial Position in Heraldry



(Of these the most common reocurring motifs have been the label, crescent, mullet, escallop, fleur-de-lis, and martlet).