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king-of-arms

[king-uh v-ahrmz]
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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.
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Origin of king-of-arms

First recorded in 1400–50, king-of-arms is from the late Middle English word king of armes. See king, arm2
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for king-of-arms

Historical Examples

  • Lyon is also king-of-arms for the national order of the Thistle.

    Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 3

    Various

British Dictionary definitions for king-of-arms

king-of-arms

noun plural 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
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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