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"Argent, a scarpe, gules. SCARPE. A diminutive of the bend sinister." -Hall, 1862

Scarpe

"Argent, a scarpe, gules. SCARPE. A diminutive of the bend sinister." -Hall, 1862

"SET FOIL OR SIX FOIL. Six leaves conjoined in the centre." -Hall, 1862

Set Foil

"SET FOIL OR SIX FOIL. Six leaves conjoined in the centre." -Hall, 1862

"A griffin rampant, segreant, gules. SEGREANT. This term is used to describe a griffin displaying its wings as if about to fly." -Hall, 1862

Segreant

"A griffin rampant, segreant, gules. SEGREANT. This term is used to describe a griffin displaying its…

"Azure, three laurel leaves slipped, argent. SLIPPED. Torn from the stock or branch." -Hall, 1862

Leaves Slipped

"Azure, three laurel leaves slipped, argent. SLIPPED. Torn from the stock or branch." -Hall, 1862

"Azure, a sun in its splendour. SOL, or THE SUN IN ITS SPLENDOUR. The sun is said to be in its splendour when it is figured (that is, delineated with a human face) and surrounded with rays. Sometimes this figure is called a sun in its glory." -Hall, 1862

Sun in its Splendor

"Azure, a sun in its splendour. SOL, or THE SUN IN ITS SPLENDOUR. The sun is said to be in its splendour…

"Gules, a sword erect in pale, argent, surmounted by two keys, saltier, or. SURMOUNTED. A figure or bearing having another over it." -Hall, 1862

Sword Surmounted by Keys

"Gules, a sword erect in pale, argent, surmounted by two keys, saltier, or. SURMOUNTED. A figure or…

"Argent, a talbot's head erased, semé of billets. TALBOT. A dog formerly used for hunting. It is formed something between a hound and a beagle, with a large snout, and long, round, thick ears." -Hall, 1862

Talbot

"Argent, a talbot's head erased, semé of billets. TALBOT. A dog formerly used for hunting. It…

"TIARA. The Pope's mitre, with its triple crowns." -Hall, 1862

Tiara

"TIARA. The Pope's mitre, with its triple crowns." -Hall, 1862

"Argent, three torteaux in bend, sinister. TORTEAUX. Red roundlets." -Hall, 1862

Torteaux

"Argent, three torteaux in bend, sinister. TORTEAUX. Red roundlets." -Hall, 1862

"Argent, a pile, azure, issuing from the chief between two others, transposed. TRANSPOSED. Charges or bearings placed contrary to their usual situation." -Hall, 1862

Transposed

"Argent, a pile, azure, issuing from the chief between two others, transposed. TRANSPOSED. Charges or…

"Argent, three trefoils, gules, one over two." -Hall, 1862

Trefoils

"Argent, three trefoils, gules, one over two." -Hall, 1862

"TRESSURE. An ordinary not so broad as an orle. It generally forms a border to the inescutcheon. Tressures are frequently borne double, and sometimes treble. They are generally ornamented flory and counter-flory. The example contains only a single tressure." -Hall, 1862

Tressure

"TRESSURE. An ordinary not so broad as an orle. It generally forms a border to the inescutcheon. Tressures…

"Argent, a stag proper, tripping. TRIPPING. The motion of deer, between running and walking." -Hall, 1862

Stag Tripping

"Argent, a stag proper, tripping. TRIPPING. The motion of deer, between running and walking." -Hall,…

"TURBAND. In coats of arms, where the knight was a Crusader, this figure often appears. It was the form of the sultan's turban at that period." -Hall, 1862

Turband

"TURBAND. In coats of arms, where the knight was a Crusader, this figure often appears. It was the form…

"TURRETED. A wall or castle having small turrets. In the annexed example the square tower has circular turrets at the angles, and is therefore said to be turreted." -Hall, 1862

Turreted

"TURRETED. A wall or castle having small turrets. In the annexed example the square tower has circular…

"Argent, a boar's head, erased proper, tusked gules. TUSKED. Any animal having tusks of a different tincture from its body is said to he tusked." -Hall, 1862

Boar Tusked

"Argent, a boar's head, erased proper, tusked gules. TUSKED. Any animal having tusks of a different…

"Argent, a bend undy, gules. UNDY. A term used to express the word wavy by Gwillim and other ancient armorists." -Hall, 1862

Bend Undy

"Argent, a bend undy, gules. UNDY. A term used to express the word wavy by Gwillim and other ancient…

"Argent, three dexter arms, vambraced, couped. VAMBRACED. Armour for the arms." -Hall, 1862

Vambraced

"Argent, three dexter arms, vambraced, couped. VAMBRACED. Armour for the arms." -Hall, 1862

"Vert, a bordure argent, verdoy, of trefoils. VERDOY. A bordure charged with eight leaves." -Hall, 1862

Verdoy

"Vert, a bordure argent, verdoy, of trefoils. VERDOY. A bordure charged with eight leaves." -Hall, 1862

"Gules, a bend sinister, voided, argent. VOIDED. A term applied when any part of an ordinary is left open to the field." -Hall, 1862

Voided

"Gules, a bend sinister, voided, argent. VOIDED. A term applied when any part of an ordinary is left…

"VOLANT. The French word for flying. It is used in Heraldry to express the same action." -Hall, 1862

Bird Volant

"VOLANT. The French word for flying. It is used in Heraldry to express the same action." -Hall, 1862

"Argent, a serpent crowned, or, vorant a (person). VORANT. Swallowing or devouring: any animal, in a charge, devouring another creature." -Hall, 1862

Serpent Vorant

"Argent, a serpent crowned, or, vorant a (person). VORANT. Swallowing or devouring: any animal, in a…

"Argent, a pelican's head, erased, vulning. VULNING. Any creature in the act of wounding itself." -Hall, 1862

Pelican Vulning

"Argent, a pelican's head, erased, vulning. VULNING. Any creature in the act of wounding itself." -Hall,…

"Azure, on a pale, walled on each side with three battlements argent, an endorse gules. WALLED. A term sometimes used in Heraldry. When an ordinary is edged or guarded by an embattled wall." -Hall, 1862

Pale Walled

"Azure, on a pale, walled on each side with three battlements argent, an endorse gules. WALLED. A term…

"Argent, the lower half of the shield three bars wavy, azure. WAVY. Curved lines, undulating like the waves of the sea." -Hall, 1862

Bars Wavy

"Argent, the lower half of the shield three bars wavy, azure. WAVY. Curved lines, undulating like the…

"WINGS ERECT. Wings are called erect when their long feathers point upwards." -Hall, 1862

Wings Erect

"WINGS ERECT. Wings are called erect when their long feathers point upwards." -Hall, 1862

"WINGS INVERTED. When the feathers point downwards." -Hall, 1862

Wings Inverted

"WINGS INVERTED. When the feathers point downwards." -Hall, 1862

"Argent, a wivern, wings raised. WIVERN. A chimerical animal, the upper part resembling a dragon." -Hall, 1862

Wivern

"Argent, a wivern, wings raised. WIVERN. A chimerical animal, the upper part resembling a dragon." -Hall,…

"WREATH. A chaplet of two different-coloured silks wound round each other, and placed on the top of the helmet for the crest to rest upon." -Hall, 1862

Round Wreath

"WREATH. A chaplet of two different-coloured silks wound round each other, and placed on the top of…

"WREATH. A chaplet of two different-coloured silks wound round each other, and placed on the top of the helmet for the crest to rest upon. In Heraldry it is usually drawn straight." -Hall, 1862

Straight Wreath

"WREATH. A chaplet of two different-coloured silks wound round each other, and placed on the top of…

"A Bordure Gobonated Argent and Gules. GOBONATED. In heraldry, same as componé." -Whitney, 1911

Bordure Gobonated

"A Bordure Gobonated Argent and Gules. GOBONATED. In heraldry, same as componé." -Whitney, 1911

This engraving of the Coat of Arms with the Cock was created by German artist Albrecht Dürer. It is a type of Renaissance Heraldry art with rooster standing on a helmet with a shield of a lion right below.

The Coat of Arms with the Cock

This engraving of the Coat of Arms with the Cock was created by German artist Albrecht Dürer. It…

"Argent, a Bend Grady Gules. GRADY. In heraldry, cut into steps, one upon another: said of lines, of the edges of ordinaries, or the like. Sometimes called battled embattled, battled grady, or embattled grady." -Whitney, 1911

Bend Grady

"Argent, a Bend Grady Gules. GRADY. In heraldry, cut into steps, one upon another: said of lines, of…

"Cross Crosslet on Grieces. GRIECE. In heraldry, a degree or step, as one of the steps upon which crosses are sometimes placed." -Whitney, 1911

Cross Crosslet on Grieces

"Cross Crosslet on Grieces. GRIECE. In heraldry, a degree or step, as one of the steps upon which crosses…

"Gyronny of eight, gules and argent. GYRONNY. In heraldry, dividend into a number of triangular parts of two different tinctures." -Whitney, 1911

Gyronny

"Gyronny of eight, gules and argent. GYRONNY. In heraldry, dividend into a number of triangular parts…

The Coat of Arms of George Washington's family. It is said to be in inspiration of the stars and stripes on the flag of the United States.

Washington Family Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms of George Washington's family. It is said to be in inspiration of the stars and stripes…

"Bar-sinister. BATON-SINISTER, a well-known heraldic indication of illegitimacy. It is a diminutive of a Bend-sinister, one-fourth of its width, and couped at the ends." -Hazeltine, 1894

Baton Sinister

"Bar-sinister. BATON-SINISTER, a well-known heraldic indication of illegitimacy. It is a diminutive…

An illustration of manche as a helraldic bearing.

Manche Heraldry

An illustration of manche as a helraldic bearing.

Marshalling is the art of correctly arranging armorial bearings. Two or more coats of arms are often combined in one shield to express inheritance, claims to property, or the occupation of an office. Marshalling can be done in a number of ways, but the principal mode is impalement, which replaced the earlier dimidiation which simply halves the shields of both and sticks them together. Impalement involves using one shield with the arms of two families or corporations on either half.

Marshaling

Marshalling is the art of correctly arranging armorial bearings. Two or more coats of arms are often…

A martlet is a heraldic charge depicting a mythical bird, similar in appearance to the swallow, but with short tufts of feathers in the place of legs (swifts have such small legs that they were believed to have none at all).

Martlet

A martlet is a heraldic charge depicting a mythical bird, similar in appearance to the swallow, but…

A mascle is a voided lozenge-- that is, a lozenge with a lozenge-shaped hole in the middle-- and the rarer rustre is a lozenge containing a circular hole. A field covered in a pattern of lozenges is described as lozengy; similar fields of mascles are masculy, and fusils, fusily.

Mascle

A mascle is a voided lozenge-- that is, a lozenge with a lozenge-shaped hole in the middle-- and the…

A couche heraldic shield with a base division.

Couche Shield

A couche heraldic shield with a base division.

A curvy bouche heraldic shield with a base division.

Bouche Shield

A curvy bouche heraldic shield with a base division.

A spiked bouche heraldic shield with a per pale division.

Spiked Bouche Shield

A spiked bouche heraldic shield with a per pale division.

A curvy bouche shield with a per pale division.

Curvy Bouche Shield

A curvy bouche shield with a per pale division.

A pointed heraldic shield with a base division.

Pointed Shield

A pointed heraldic shield with a base division.

A bouche shield with a decorative trim and a per pale division.

Ornate Bouche Shield

A bouche shield with a decorative trim and a per pale division.

"Achievement of Arms of Humphrey Stafford, A.D. 1460. From his Garter-Plate at Windsor."—Aveling, 1891

Shield of Humphrey Stafford

"Achievement of Arms of Humphrey Stafford, A.D. 1460. From his Garter-Plate at Windsor."—Aveling,…

"Example of shield, from the Abbey Church of St. Alban."—Aveling, 1891

Heraldic Shield

"Example of shield, from the Abbey Church of St. Alban."—Aveling, 1891

A heraldic shield made of or (gold), which is represented by engraving dots of pricks into the shield.

Or Shield

A heraldic shield made of or (gold), which is represented by engraving dots of pricks into the shield.

A heraldic shield made of argent (silver), which is represented by its plain, smooth surface.

Argent Shield

A heraldic shield made of argent (silver), which is represented by its plain, smooth surface.

A heraldic shield with a blue surface, which is represented by the horizontal lines.

Azure Shield

A heraldic shield with a blue surface, which is represented by the horizontal lines.

A heraldic shield with a red (gules) surface, which is represented by the perpendicular lines, drawn from the head to the base of the shield.

Gules Shield

A heraldic shield with a red (gules) surface, which is represented by the perpendicular lines, drawn…

A heraldic shield with a black surface, which is shown by the crossing horizontal and vertical lines.

Sable Shield

A heraldic shield with a black surface, which is shown by the crossing horizontal and vertical lines.

A heraldic shield with a green (vert) surface, represented by the diagonal lines drawn from the top left corner to the bottom right corner.

Vert Shield

A heraldic shield with a green (vert) surface, represented by the diagonal lines drawn from the top…

A heraldic shield with a pursuer (purple) surface, shown by the diagonal lines stretching from the top-right corner down to the bottom-left corner.

Purpure Shield

A heraldic shield with a pursuer (purple) surface, shown by the diagonal lines stretching from the top-right…

A heraldic shield with a field argent with the powdering sable.

Ermine Shield

A heraldic shield with a field argent with the powdering sable.

A heraldic shield with argent (silver) and azure (blue) tinctures.

Varus Shield

A heraldic shield with argent (silver) and azure (blue) tinctures.

"Counter-vair is when the arrangement of the little shields or bells is varied so that those of the same tincture are placed base against base and point against point."—Aveling, 1891

Counter-Vair Shield

"Counter-vair is when the arrangement of the little shields or bells is varied so that those of the…

"Potent is when the field is covered with figures of potents, or crutches. Potent is now an obsolete word ... Potent, like vair, is of the alternate tinctures of argent and azure."—Aveling, 1891

Potent Shield

"Potent is when the field is covered with figures of potents, or crutches. Potent is now an obsolete…