blazonment

bla·zon

 (blā′zən)

tr.v. bla·zoned, bla·zon·ing, bla·zons

1. Heraldry

a. To describe (a coat of arms) in proper terms.

b. To paint or depict (a coat of arms) with accurate detail.

2. To adorn or embellish with or as if with a coat of arms: "the stars and moons and suns blazoned on that sacred wall" (G.K. Chesterton).

3. To proclaim widely.

n.

1. Heraldry

a. A coat of arms.

b. The description or representation of a coat of arms.

2. An ostentatious display.

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[Probably from Middle English blasoun, shield, from Old French blason.]

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bla′zon·er n.

bla′zon·ment n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.