armiger

American  

[ahr-mi-jer] / ˈɑr mɪ dʒər /

noun

1. a person entitled to armorial bearings.

2. an armorbearer to a knight; a squire.

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armiger British  

/ ˈɑːmɪdʒə, ɑːˈmɪdʒərəs /

noun

1. a person entitled to bear heraldic arms, such as a sovereign or nobleman

2. a squire carrying the armour of a medieval knight

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Other Word Forms

• armigeral adjective
• armigerous adjective

Etymology

Origin of armiger

1755–65; < Medieval Latin: squire, Latin: armorbearer (noun), armorbearing (adj.), equivalent to armi- (combining form of arma arm ² ) + -ger bearing, base of gerere to carry, wear

Example Sentences

And now behind him every armiger and squire, every spearman and light-foot archer, was hasting Edinburgh-ward, eager to be first to succour the young and headstrong chief of his great house.

From The Black Douglas by Richards, Frank

As evidence of this confusion we find men called "vallettus" after they have been called "armiger," and sometimes men who are normally called "vallettus camere Regis" named as "vallettus hospicii Regis."

From Chaucer's Official Life by Hulbert, James Root

Alethia argillacea or Cotton Caterpillar, and the Heliothis armiger or Cotton Boll-Caterpillar.

From The Story of the Cotton Plant by Wilkinson, Frederick

Hoc monvmentvm Thomas Flood Gore Courti in-coram apud Cantianos armiger infœlicissimum in charissimi patrvi svi memoriam erexit die Mensis Avgvsti, M.D.C.XXXVII.’

From Witch, Warlock, and Magician Historical Sketches of Magic and Witchcraft in England and Scotland by Adams, W. H. Davenport (William Henry Davenport)

Everybody calls himself a gentleman nowadays; even Mr. Chalker, who is going to sell me up, I suppose; but everybody, if you please, is not armiger.

From In Luck at Last by Besant, Walter, Sir