coat of arms

See more synonyms for coat of arms on Thesaurus.com

noun

a surcoat or tabard embroidered with heraldic devices, worn by medieval knights over their armor.
a heraldic achievement of arms.

Origin of coat of arms

1325–75; Middle English; parallel to French cotte d'armes

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for coat of arms

arms, crest, emblem, escutcheon, pennon

Examples from the Web for coat of arms

Historical Examples of coat of arms

On the front was engraved a monogram J. M., and on the back a coat-of-arms.
Murder Point
Coningsby Dawson
He held up a little note with a coat-of-arms upon the envelope.
The Return of Sherlock Holmes
Arthur Conan Doyle
He was prouder of his Collection than of his coat-of-arms—nobody could say more than that.
The Wisdom of Father Brown
G. K. Chesterton
There was a coat-of-arms, too, with which she was not acquainted.
Armorel of Lyonesse
Walter Besant
On the coat-of-arms it is notable that the three lions of England are crowned.
Royal English Bookbindings
Cyril Davenport

British Dictionary definitions for coat of arms

coat of arms

noun

the heraldic bearings of a person, family, or corporation
a surcoat decorated with family or personal bearings

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

Word Origin and History for coat of arms

mid-14c., originally a tunic embroidered with heraldic arms (worn over armor, etc); see from coat (n.) + arm (n.2) and cf. Old French cote a armer. Sense transferred to the heraldic arms themselves by 1560s. Hence turncoat, one who put his coat on inside-out to hide the badge of his loyalty.