king-of-arms

[ king-uhv-ahrmz ]

noun,plural kings-of-arms.
  1. a title of certain of the principal heralds of England and certain other kingdoms empowered by their sovereigns to grant armorial bearings.

Origin of king-of-arms

1
First recorded in 1400–50, king-of-arms is from late Middle English king of armes. See king, arm2

Words Nearby king-of-arms

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use king-of-arms in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for king-of-arms

king-of-arms

nounplural kings-of-arms
  1. the highest rank of heraldic officer, itself divided into the ranks of Garter, Clarenceaux, and Norroy and Ulster. In Scotland the first is Lyon

  2. a person holding this rank

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012