Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of or relating to heraldry or heraldic arms.
  • noun A book or treatise on heraldry.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Belonging to her aldry, or to heraldie bearings.
  • noun A book containing heraldic bearings and devices; a dictionary of the arms rightly borne by the persons named in it.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Belonging to armor, or to the heraldic arms or escutcheon of a family.
  • adjective See Arms, 4.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective of, or relating to heraldry, or to heraldic arms
  • noun a book etc concerning heraldry

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective of or relating to heraldry or heraldic arms

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Middle English armorie, arms, from Old French armeurerie, from armeure, armor; see armor.]

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Examples

  • It is not probable that Turchil, the last Saxon Earl of Warwick, bore anything that might be strictly called armorial bearings.

    Shakespeare's Family 1885

  • The Dolphin, borne by GILES DE FISHBOURNE (H.  3), and afterwards introduced into several English Shields, is best known as the armorial ensign of the DAUPHIN, the eldest son and heir apparent of the Kings of France, who bore, marshalled with the arms of FRANCE -- _Or, a Dolphin az.

    The Handbook to English Heraldry Charles Boutell 1844

  • There is no need to suppose that each of the brethren had a zodiacal figure already assigned to him as a kind of armorial bearing or device.

    The Astronomy of the Bible An Elementary Commentary on the Astronomical References of Holy Scripture 1889

  • _ -- It seems to have been much the custom, about two centuries ago, to engrave more or less elaborately the brass lids of warming-pans with different devices, such as armorial bearings, &c., in the centre, and with an inscription or a motto surrounding the device.

    Notes and Queries, Number 66, February 1, 1851 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. Various 1852

  • The almost universal desire to possess some kind of armorial insignia, implies a corresponding recognition of the necessity to obtain them from some Institution or Personage, supposed to be competent and authorised both to determine what they should be, and to impart a right to accept and to assume and bear them.

    The Handbook to English Heraldry Charles Boutell 1844

  • Its large oaken slab was of sufficient dimensions to admit of the royal gift being spread in graceful folds over the dark surface of the wood, which the better displayed the tissue's interchanging tints, and also gave room for the disposal of the cap and gloves which were placed in a kind of armorial crest between its gauntlets, at the head of the scarf, and at its foot was added a beautifully written inscription in old emblazoned characters, historic of the interesting relics above.

    The Scottish Chiefs 1875

  • Its large oaken slab was of sufficient dimensions to admit of the royal gift being spread in graceful folds over the dark surface of the wood, which the better displayed the tissue's interchanging tints, and also gave room for the disposal of the cap and gloves, which were placed in a kind of armorial crest between its gauntlets, at the head of the scarf, and at its foot was added a beautifully written inscription in old emblazoned characters, historic of the interesting relics above.

    The Scottish Chiefs Jane Porter 1813

  • The most important item will be a painted silk armorial hatchment from his state funeral car.

    A Home and Its Love Story Margaret Studer 2010

  • High-swung barouches, with immense armorial bearings on their panels, driven by fat white-wigged coachmen, and having powdered footmen up behind them; seigniorial phaetons; daring tandems; discreet little broughams, brown or yellow; flippant high dog-carts; low but flippant Ralli-carts; very frivolous private hansoms shaming the more serious public ones.

    Max 2009

  • High-swung barouches, with immense armorial bearings on their panels, driven by fat white-wigged coachmen, and having powdered footmen up behind them; seigniorial phaetons; daring tandems; discreet little broughams, brown or yellow; flippant high dog-carts; low but flippant Ralli-carts; very frivolous private hansoms shaming the more serious public ones.

    Archive 2009-05-01 2009

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