The following listing is not all-inclusive. It is intended to merely provide the viewer with the more basic and commonly used terms.

Abatement Any object which lowers the diginity of the owner, such as a baton sinister, which denotes illegitimacy.
Addorsed Variously, addressed, this refers to a representation of two animals set back to back.
Affrontee Full faced, or facing towards the front.
Alternate Objects of tinctures that succeed each other by turns.
Ambulant Represented as walking.
Annulet Circle borne as a charge in a coat of arms.
Ancient Small flag or ensign.
Apaume' An open hand, either naked or encased in a gauntlet, with palm showing.
Argent French word for silver. This metal is represented as plain, without texture.
Armed The hoofs, talons, horns, beaks or teeth of beasts or birds which are represented in a different tincture from the body.
Armiger One who bears arms; the individual to whom arms are granted.
Armorial Bearings The various objects represented or depicted in the design of the heraldic achievement.
Arms A mark of honour used to distinguish individuals, families, cities, etc., derived from the French word, arma.
Aspectant A representation of two animals placed face to face.
Assurgent A man or beast rising out of water.
Attired Similar to the word, Armed, this refers to specifically to the horns or a stag which are represented in a different tincture from the body.
Azure French word for blue. This colour is represented as a field covered with parallel horizontal lines extending from the dexter to the sinister sides.
Banded Any objects tied with a band.
Banner The principal flag of a knight containing his arms.
Bar A form of the ordinary of fess in which the horizontal shape occupies one-fifth of the shield.
Bar Gemel A form of the ordinary of fess, but consisting of two narrow horizontal bars.
Barbed The small green leaves placed around roses. It also refers to 'bearded'.
Barry Variously, barre. A form of the ordinary of fess in which eight horizontal bars of equal width occupy the field, alternating in two different tinctures.
Base The lowest part of the shield.
Baton A fourth part of the bend, couped, or cut close, at both ends.
Beaked Similar to the word, armed, beaked refers to the beak of a bird being of a different tincture from the body.
Beaver A part of a helmet protecting the eyes.
Bear Arms To bear arms is to use the coat of arms in all appropriate situations.
Bend An ordinary in which the field is divided by a diagonal line extending from the dexter chief to the sinister base. The bend is generally represented as a bar which occupies a fifth part of the shield, if uncharged, but a third part if charged.
Bend Sinister This refers to the opposite of the bend, being a diagonal lline extending from the sinister chief to the dexter base.
Bendy The name given to a field which is divided into several bends, alternating in two different tinctures.
Bevilly Represented as dovetailed.
Bezant A roundel of gold colour. Because the name expresses the colour, the tincture of blue is not otherwise named in the blazon.
Bicorporate This refers to two animals being conjoined to a single head.
Blazon The written description, in proper heraldic language, of the coat of arms and/or the heraldic achievement. The blazon must be concise, while containing enough information that any artist would be able to accurately draw the coat of arms.
Bordure A means to differentiate between branches of the same family, the bordure (or border) encircles the edge of the shield. The bordure is the most ancient of the various means of differencing.
Braced Two similar objects interlaced with each other.
Brisure This is another name for differencing, or differentiating the arms of a descendant from those of the original armiger.
Brouchant Overlying, placed on top of.
Cabossed Variously as caboched or caboshed, this refers to a beast's head which is represented as full faced and without any part of the neck.
Canting Arms Variously as armes parlantes, this refers to the choosing of charges which function as a literal representation of the armiger's surname. The canting arms may also function as a pun on the armiger's surname.
Canton Corner. A canton placed on a shield as a charge is generally a small square located in the dexter chief.
Champagne A very narrow section at the base of the shield, cut off from the rest of the shield by a straight, horizontal line.
Chapeau Known variously as a cap of maintenance, the chapeau, represented as consisting of crimson velvet lined with ermine, is a symbol only of sovereign princes. It is often used in their achievements in place of the crest wreath.
Charge Any object (human, animal, manmade, etc.) which is placed (i.e. represented) on the shield.
Checky A variation of an ordinary, in which the entire field is covered with alternating squares of two different tinctures.
Chevron An ordinary, or partitioning convention, in which a diagonal line, or bar, extending upward from the dexter base intersects a diagonal line, or bar, extending upward from the sinister base at or about the honour point.
Chevron Couched A chevron ordinary which begins, not at the dexter or sinister base, but at a point along either side of the shield.
Chief An honourable ordinary located in the top third part of the shield. The word also refers directly to the top third of the shield.
Clenched A position of a human hand in which the fingers are pressed tight against the palm of the hand.
Close This refers to a bird, whose wings are held tight together.
Closet A bar which is only one-half the normal width.
Closegirt A human figure represented with a dress fastened around the waist.
Coat Armour A loose garment worn over the chain mail or armour of a knight. It is from the fact that the arms were painted or embroidered onto this garment that the heraldic arms came to be known as the coat of arms.
Collared This refers to dogs or other inferior animals being represented as bearing a collar.
Combatant A position of a figure, human or animal, who appears to be fighting with another.
Compartment An element of the heraldic achievement upon which the supporters may be represented as standing.
Complement This refers to the moon in the full phase.
Compony An ordinary composed of alternating squares of two different tinctures.
Conjoined Joined together.
Contourne'e Facing toward the sinister direction.
Coronet Another name for a crown, appropriate for ranks lower than the sovereign.
Cotise A diminutive of the bend, being one-fourth the normal width, and generally positioned one on either side of the bend.
Couchant A position in which a human or animal figure is lying on the ground with the breast to the ground, but with the head raised.
Couche'e This refers to a shield which is represented in a diagonal position.
Counter~Changed The shield is divided into two parts, one represented as a metal and the other as a colour. Any charges placed upon the shield are represented in the opposite tincture: a charge placed upon the part represented as a metal will be represented as the colour and vice versa.
Counter~Compony This refers to an ordinary of two checks in width of alternating tinctures.
Counter~Embattled An element represented as embattled on both sides.
Counter~Passant This refers to two animals which are represented as passing each other in opposite directions.
Counter~Salient This refers to two animals which are represented as leaping past each other in opposite directions.
Couped To have the ends cut off so that they do not extend to the edge of the shield.
Courant In the position of running.
Coward An animal represented with its tail between its legs.
Crested The comb of a bird, such as a cock, which is represented in a tincture different from the body.
Crined An animal’s hair is represented as a tincture different from the body.
Cross The cross is one of the honourable ordinaries, variously known as ‘quarterly’, and consists of a horizontal line which intersects a vertical line at the center, or fess, point of the shield. This also refers to the object by the name of ‘cross’, which is one of the most frequently used charges in heraldry.
Cubit Arm The arm is represented as cut off at the elbow.
Dancetty A type of line similar to indented, but with large indentations.
Debruised This refers to a shield on which a charge is placed, then overtop of which an ordinary is placed.
Demi This denotes a ‘half’.
Dexter The word dexter refers to the right, and is used in heraldry to denote the proper right side of either the shield alone, or the entire achievement. The phrase, ‘the proper right side’, means as from behind the shield and/or achievement, as if by the armiger. When viewed from the front, as if by an observer, the dexter side refers to the left side.
Diapered This denotes a field that is broken up by patterns which are represented in different shades of the same colour.
Difference Used as a noun, this refers to an object, or charge, added to a coat of arms in order to distinguish it from another. A bordor is a commonly used difference. It also may be used as a verb; to difference a coat of arms is to add an object in order to distinguish it from another.
Dimidiated This refers to two coats or arms in union are divided per pale, and one half of each is removed.
Dismembered Similar to couped, this refers to an object that is cut in pieces.
Displayed This refers to a bird represented with wings expanded and legs spread apart.
Dormant A position of sleeping or reposing.
Doublings This is the proper name of the lining of robes of state, and refers to the mantle or mantlings in an heraldic achievement.
Double Tressure The ordinary called the tressure, or orle is a bar which encircles the shield, similar to the bordure, but usually not as wide as the bordure. The double tressure is just that: a tressure inside a tressure.
Dovetailed One of the types of lines used to define the edges of ordinaries and other charges. A dovetailed line resembles the dovetailing technique of a carpenter.
Elevated This refers to a bird with its wings raised above its head.
Embattled One of the types of lines used to define the edges of ordinaries and other charges. An embattled line resembles the battlements of a castle wall.
Embowed Bent or curved.
En Arrie're This refers to any human figure or animal with its back to view.
Endorse The smallest form of the pale ordinary, which is one-fourth the width of the pale. A charge is never placed on the endorse.
Enfiled The name given to a weapon which impales an object.
Engrailed One of the types of lines used to define the edges of ordinaries and other charges having a scalloped appearance. An engrailed line resembles stylized choppy waves with the points aimed outward.
Enhanced This refers to armorial bearings placed above their usual situation.
Ensign A charge placed on top of another.
Entire A charge which is extended to the side of the shield is said to be entire.
Erased Torn or ripped off, resulting in a ragged edge. This usually is used to refer to a human or animal’s arm or leg.
Erect A naturally horizontal charge, when positioned in a perpendicular orientation is erect.
Ermine One of the tinctures representing the fur of the animal called the ermine, with black spots on white.
Ermines One of the tinctures representing the fur of the animal called the ermine, but having the colours reversed with white spots on black.
Erminois One of the tinctures representing the fur of the animal called the ermine, but with the colours being black spots on gold.
Escroll An element of the heraldic achievement, usually in the form of a scroll or ribbon, upon which the motto is generally placed.
Escutcheon This generally refers only to the field upon which the arms are depicted, or rather the shield.
Fess An ordinary in which the field is divided by a horizontal line extending from the dexter side to the sinister side. The fess is generally represented as a bar which occupies a third part of the shield.
Fess Point A point at the exact center of the shield.
Fesswise This denotes running across the center of the shield horizontally.
Field The field is the entire surface of the shield, upon which objects (or charges), tinctures and ordinaries are represented.
Fillet A form of the ordinary of chief in which the width is one-fourth of the width of the chief.
Fimbriated This refers to an ordinary which has a narrow border of a different tincture.
Fitchy From the French word for 'fixed', this is generally used to describe a cross which has its lower branch pointed, so as to appear 'fixed' in the ground.
Flanches This is an ordinary formed by two semi-circular lines, one of which starts at the dexter chief, curves outward toward the fess point, and then back to end at the dexter base. The other of which starts at the sinister chief, curves outward toward the fess point, and then back to end at the sinister base. The curved lines nearly touch at the fess point in the center of the shield, but do not.
Flank The flanks are found on both sides of the shield, extending between the chief and the base.
Flasques A form of the flanches ordinary. In this form, the curved lines do not come as close together as in the flanches.
Fleur~de~lis The stylized lily is a common charge used in the art of heraldry.
Flexed Bowed or bent.
Flighted The feathers of an arrow being of different colours.
Fountain A roundel of argent/silver and azure/blue colour in six horizontal bars of equal width. Because the name expresses the colour, it is not named in the blazon.
Fourche'e This refers to anything that is divided into two parts, such as an animal's tail.
Fretty Covered with fretwork in which narrow bars cross each other diagonally and interlace with each other.
Fructed Represented as bearing seeds or fruit.
Fusil A diamond shape, similar to the lozenge, but generally longer and narrower than the lozenge.
Gamb This refers to the leg of an animal, especially that of the lion.
Garb A sheaf or wheat, hay, corn and so forth.
Garter A form of the ordinary of bend, the width of which is half the size of the bend.
Gauntlet Glove of armour, often used as a charge.
Gaze This refers to the position an animal, such as a deer, assumes when it is standing still, with its head turned, and looking earnestly toward the spectator.
Gemels Double. This refers to an ordinary which is represented as a double of itself.
Golps A roundel of purple colour. Because the name expresses the colour, the tincture of blue is not otherwise named in the blazon.
Gorged An animal with a collar around its neck. The collar may be represented as a crown, such as is the case of the unicorn representing Scotland.
Goutty Covered with drops (i.e. gouttes).
Guardant A human figure or an animal looking out from the field toward the spectator.
Gules Red. This colour is represented as a field covered with vertical lines drawn perpendicular to the chief.
Gutte'e A tincture formed of a field covered with tear-or rain-drop shapes.
Guzes A roundel of sanguine or blood red colour. Because the name expresses the colour, the tincture of blue is not otherwise named in the blazon.
Gyron Similar to the canton, the gyron is a triangular shape utilizing a side of the shield as one of its own sides. It is often located in the dexter chief corner of the shield.
Habited Figures which are clothed are called 'habited.'

Hamade This refers to a bar which is couped, or not touching the edge of the shield.
Hatchment Variously known as a funeral escutcheon, the hatchment is a lozenge shaped frame, colored entirely black, upon which a deceased individual's arms are displayed. The hatchment is not widely used in modern times.
Haurient This refers to a fish represented as erect.
Helm / Helmet One of the elements of the heraldic achievement, which surmounts the shield, and is itself surmounted by the wreath and crest.
Herald The herald started as a messenger to announce, or herald news. The herald was utilized by each army as ambassadors to the opposing army, and wore the arms of their knights. It became their duty to maintain the integrity of those arms, and thusly it became heraldic to record the arms and keep track of the various arms being used by various knights.
Hilted This refers to the handle of a sword which is represented in a tincture different from the blade.
Honour Point A point on the shield located between the middle chief and the fess point.
Horned This refers to the horn of a unicorn which is represented in a tincture different from the body.
Humetty An ordinary, parts of which are cut off, or couped, so that it does not touch the edges of the shield is called humetty.
Hurts A roundel of blue colour. Because the name expresses the colour, the tincture of blue is not otherwise named in the blazon.
Imbrued Weapons represented as if spotted with blood.
Impale Two coats side by side on a single shield.
Indented One of the types of lines used to define the edges of ordinaries and other charges. An indented line is represented with a serrated edge.
Inescutcheon This refers to a small escutcheon which is included as a charge in a coat of arms.
Invected One of the types of lines used to define the edges of ordinaries and other charges. An invected line resembles stylized choppy waves with the points aimed inward.
Inverted This refers to a charge rotated 180 degrees from its normal position.
Issuant Proceeding out of or from. This usually refers to a charge emerging from a line or a border.
Langued This refers to a bird or animal, whose tongue is represented in a tincture different from the body.
Lodged An animal, such as a deer or stag, represented as sitting on the ground with its head erect.
Lozenge A diamond shape with two obtuse angles and two acute angles. The lozenge is utilized to display the arms of a lady instead of the escutcheon.
Maned This refers to the manes of horses or unicorns of a tincture different from the body.
Mantling One of the elements of the heraldic achievement, representing the cloth lambrequin or mantle used by knights to protect the helmet from staining.
Marshalling Arms To marshall arms is to draw up an heraldic achievement showing the insignia and quarterings.
Membered This refers to the legs of a bird which are of a tincture different from the body.
Motto One of the elements of the heraldic achievement, the motto is a word, phrase or short sentence, generally placed on the escroll or on the compartment.
Mount A form of compartment, in the shape of a small hill, or mound, at the base of the shield.
Mullet A star shape, generally represented as having five points. The word is derived from the molet or spur-rowel which resembled a five-pointed star.
Naiant Swimming. This refers to a horizontal position a fish is generally shown in, as if it is swimming naturally.
Naissant This refers to a charge issuing out from the middle of another.
Nebule Variously, nebuly, this is the French word for cloudy. It is represented as a wavy line.
Nombril Point A point on the shield below the fess point and above the base.
Nowed Tied or knotted, in reference to serpents or the tails of animals.
Ogress A roundel of black colour. Because the name expresses the colour, it is not named in the blazon.
Or Gold. This metal is represented in heraldry as a field of small dots.
Orange A roundel of tenne colour. Because the name expresses the colour, it is not named in the blazon.
Ordinary The ordinary is the oldest, and simplest, form of representation used to denote distinctions in heraldry. The ordinary consists basically of bars positioned variously upon the field of the heraldic element of the shield. The edges of the bars may be represented with any of the types of lines, and the surface may be represented with any of the various tinctures. Charges may also be placed upon the ordinary. The most basic, fundamental ordinaries, such as divisions of the shield by horizontal and/or vertical bars, are known as the honourable ordinaries.
Orle A perforated ineschutcheon consisting of double lines encircling the shield a distance from the edges. The orle stands away from the edge of the shield by its own width.
Over All Variously called surtout, this refers to a charge which is placed overtop another, partially obscuring the latter.
Pale One of the honourable ordinaries consisting of a bar extending in a perpendicular line from the chief to the base of the shield, the width of which is one-third that of the shield.
Pallet A form of the ordinary pale, which is one-half the width of the pale.
Paly A field consisting of several bars per pale of equal widths, alternating of metal and colour tinctures.
Party Variously called parted, this denotes a field which is divided into two or more parts by any of the ordinaries.
Passant This refers to the position of walking.
Pean One of the tinctures representing the fur of the animal called the ermine, and being similar to erminois, but with the colours being gold spots on black.
Pellet Similar to ogress, this is a roundel of black colour. Because the name expresses the colour, it is not named in the blazon.
Pendant The shield is represented as hanging suspended from a tree branch or a pole, rather than being supported on the ground.
Perforated Variously called pierced, this refers to any ordinary or charge that is represented simply in border, with the center cut out.
Piety When a pelican is depicted as seated on her nest and exposing her breast to feed her young, is it said that she is ‘in her piety.’

Pile One of the honourable ordinaries, this is formed of two diagonal lines, one starting at the dexter chief, the other starting at the sinister chief, and both intersecting at a point at the middle base. Charges, when positioned as if to form the two diagonal lines of this ordinary, are called ‘in pile.’

Plate A roundel of silver colour. Because the name expresses the colour, it is not named in the blazon.
Plenitude This refers to a full moon in the phrase, ‘the moon in her plenitude.’

Pomeis A roundel of green colour. Because the name expresses the colour, it is not named in the blazon.
Potent Ancient name for crutch. Included in the category of tinctures along with the furs, the potent consists of a ‘T’ shape, as crutches were shaped in the medieval period.
Proper When used as an adjective in the blazon to describe a charge, this means that the object is represented in its natural colors.
Purpure Purple. The color of purple is represented by a field covered with parallel diagonal lines drawn from the sinister chief to the dexter base of the shield.
Quartered The shield is quartered when it is divided into four equal parts by the ordinary per cross. The four quarters of the shield are numbered as follows: 1: dexter chief, 2: sinister chief, 3: dexter base, 4: sinister base.
Radiant Variously called rayonny, this refers to a type of line represented with rays, or flames, emanating along its edge.
Raguly A type of line similar to that of embattled, with the exception that the angles formed are variously obtuse and acute. The word also refers to any charge that has a ragged edge, as if torn.
Rampant This describes the position of an animal with its head aimed toward the dexter side of the shield, having one hind paw firmly on the ground, while the other three, and the tail, are elevated.
Reflexed Curved and carried backwards.
Reguardant This describes the position of an animal looking over its shoulder toward the sinister side of the shield.
Riband A form of the ordinary bend, the width of which is no more than one-sixth of the field.
Rising The position of a bird with its wings open, preparing to fly.
Rompu This denotes something broken, usually referring to a chevron with the center broken and enhanced.
Roundel A disk used as a charge.
Rustre This refers to a lozenge perforated with a circular opening.
Sable Black. This colour is represented in heraldry by a field covered with parallel horizontal lines intersecting with parallel vertical lines.
Salient The position of an animal springing forward.
Saltire One of the honourable ordinaries, this is formed of two intersecting bars, one starting at the dexter chief and extending to the sinister base, the other starting a the sinister chief and extending to the dexter base. The width of the bars are one-third the width of the field if charged, and one-fifth if uncharged.
Sanguine Dark, or blood red. This colour is represented in heraldry by a field parallel diagonal lines extending from the dexter chief to the sinister base intersecting parallel diagonal lines extending from the sinister chief to the dexter base. An ancient name for this colour, though seldom used today, was murrey.
Scrape A form of the ordinary bend sinister, the scrape is half the width of the bend sinister.
Scroll This is another name for the escroll, the element of the heraldic achievement on which the motto generally appears.
Seeded This refers to the seed of a flower being of a tincture different from the petals.
Segreant This refers to the position of a gryphon or wyvern with wings outstretched as if preparing to fly.
Sejant The position of an animal sitting.
Semy A field strewn with small charges.
Shake Fork This refers to a charge that resembles the letter 'Y'.
Shield One of the elements of the heraldic achievement, the shield is the primary field upon which the arms are depicted. The shield is commonly referred to as the coat of arms.
Sinister The word sinister refers to the left, and is used in heraldry to denote the proper left side of either the shield alone, or the entire achievement. The phrase, ‘the proper left side’, means as from behind the shield and/or achievement, as if by the armiger. When viewed from the front, as if by an observer, the sinister side refers to the right side.
Slipped This generally refers to leaves represented as torn from a branch.
Splendour The sun is said to be in its splendour when it is represented as surrounded by rays.
Statant The position of an animal standing still, with all four of its legs on the ground.
Supporters An element of the heraldic achievement, the supporters are figures that stand on either side of the shield as if supporting it.
Surmounted This refers to an armorial bearing upon which another bearing has been positioned.
Tenne' Orange. This colour is represented in heraldry as a field covered with parallel diagonal lines extending from the sinister chief to the dexter base and intersected by parallel vertical lines which extend from the chief to the base.
Throughout A charge normally does not touch the edge of the shield. A charge throughout touches the edge of the shield.
Tierced This refers to the shield being divided into three equal parts.
Tierced In Pairle This refers to the shield being divided into three parts in the form of the letter 'Y'.
Tincture This is another name for the colours used in heradlry.
Torse Another name for the wreath, an element in the heraldic achievement.
Torteaux A roundel of red colour. Because the name expresses the colour, it is not named in the blazon.
Transposed This refers to charges or bearings which are represented in positions contrary to their usual situation.
Tressure Another name for the ordinary, orle. The tressure is narrower than the orle.
Trick A line drawing of the arms, without hatching to indicate tinctures.
Tricorporated This refers to three lions represented as rampant, and conjoined with only one head, it being in the guardant position.
Triple Mount A charge placed at the bottom of the shield and serving as the base for the armorial design.
Trussed The position of a bird with closed wings.
Tusked This refers to the tusks of an animal being of a tincture different from the body.
Tynes The branches of a stag's antlers.
Undy Wavy.
Unguled This refers to the claws, talons, hoofs or nails of a bird or animal being of a tincture different from the principal charge.
Urinant This refers to the position of a fish with its head aimed downward.
Vair This is one of the tinctures of fur. It is represented as a bell shape, which is the basic shape of an animal's pelt when it is tanned. Unless specifically stated, the colour of vair is either argent / silver or azure / blue.
Vambraced This refers to the arms of a human body being clad in armour.
Vert Green. This colour is represented in heraldry by a field covered in parallel diagonal lines starting at the dexter chief and extending to the sinister base.
Voided When any part of an ordinary is left open to the field, it is called voided.
Volant This refers to the position of a bird in flight.
Vorant This refers to the representation of an animal devouring another animal.
Vulned This refers to the representation of a wounded animal.
Vulning This refers to the representation of an animal wounding itself.
Walled An ordinary which has edges represented with the type of line called embattled.
Wavy This refers to a type of line that resembles waves.
Winged This refers to the wings of a bird or chimerical beast being of a tincture different from the body.
Wings Disclosed The position of a bird's wings being spread, with the feathers open, and pointing downwards.
Wings Erect The poisition of a bird's wings being spread, with the feathers open, and pointing upwards.
Wings Inverted The position of a bird's wings being closed, and pointing downwards.
Wreath One of the elements of the heraldic achievement. The wreath surmounts the helm, and is itself surmounted by the crest.

 

      

Please note: The images used for the graphics on this page
were derived from the book, A Display Of Heraldry,
by John Guillim, printed in London in the year 1679.