Term | Description |
Abased | This term is used:
(1) when the wings, for instance, instead of being expanded, with their apices pointing upward, either look down toward the point of the shield, or else are shut. (2) when a chevron, fesse or another ordinary is borne lower than its usual situation. |
Abatements | Marks of degradation of coat armour, of which heraldic writers enumerate nine |
Abyss | The center of an escutcheon |
Accollé | Gorged or collared, as lions, dogs and other animals sometimes are in escutcheons. Wreathed, entwined or joined together, as two shields sometimes are by their sides. The arms of a husband and wife were often thus placed. |
Accompanied | Between. For example, accompanied by four crescents, would mean between four crescents |
Accorned | Bearing acorns |
Accosted | Applied to a charge supported on both sides by other charges. Example: A pale accosted by six mullets. This term is also applied to two animals proceeding side by side. |
Accrued | Grown to maturity |
Achievement | A complete heraldic composition, showing a shield with its quarterings, impalements, supporters, crest, motto, etc. This term is applied especially to a funeral escutcheon, exhibiting the rank and family of a deceased nobleman or gentleman, which at his death is placed in front of his house or in some other prominent place |
Addorsed | Placed back to bank |
Affronté | Two animals on a coat of arms facing each other. Face to face, as contradistinguished from back to back |
Aislé | Winged |
Alant, or aland | A mastiff dog with short ears |
Allerion | An eagle without a beak or feet, and with wings expanded, their points turned downward |
Allumee | This term is used to describe the eyes of animals when they are depicted sparkling or red |
Amethyst | A precious stone, formely used to express purpure |
Ancred or anchored | Applied to a cross, of witch the four extremities resemble the flook of an anchor. See under Crosses |
Annulet | A ring |
Appaumé | The hand open, presenting the palm, and the fingers and thumb at full lenght |
Appointee | Pointed. Applied to things which touch at the points or ends, as two swords touching each other at their points or tips |
Arched | Signifies that an ordinary on an escutcheon is bent or bowed. (Sometimes called archy.) |
Argent | Silver or white |
Armed | All birds which have talons and bills that aid them to seize and rend their prey, are in blazon said to be armed when those weapons differ in tincture from their body. But to swans, wild geese, and other birds without talons, the word armed does not apply. They, in like case, are termed beaked and membrerd. Beasts are also described as armed, when their horns or hoofs are of another colour than their body. |
Arraché | Same as erased |
Arrondie | Make circular or round |
Assis | Same as sejant |
Atchievement | A term used for a fully marshalled coat, but generally for a funeral hatchment |
Attired | Is applied to the horns of animals of the deer species, instead of armed, as they are supposed to wear their antlers not as weapons, but ornaments |
Attires | The horns of a buck |
Azure | Bright blue |