escutcheon
pronunciation
How to pronounce escutcheon in British English:
UK [ɪˈskʌtʃn]
How to pronounce escutcheon in American English:
US [ɪˈskʌtʃən]
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- Noun:
- a flat protective covering (on a door or wall etc) to prevent soiling by dirty fingers
- (nautical) a plate on a ship's stern on which the name is inscribed
- a shield; especially one displaying a coat of arms
Word Origin
- escutcheon
- escutcheon: see squire
- escutcheon (n.)
- "shield on which a coat of arms is depicted," late 15c., from Old North French escuchon, variant of Old French escusson "half-crown (coin); coat of arms, heraldic escutcheon," from Vulgar Latin *scutionem, from Latin scutum "shield" (see hide (n.1)). Escutcheon of pretense, in her., a small escutcheon charged upon the main escutcheon, indicating the wearer's pretensions to some distinction, or to an estate, armorial bearings, etc., which are not his by strict right of descent. It is especially used to denote the marriage of the bearer to an heiress whose arms it bears. Also called inescutcheon. [Century Dictionary] Clev. Without doubt: he is a Knight? Jord. Yes Sir. Clev. He is a Fool too? Jord. A little shallow[,] my Brother writes me word, but that is a blot in many a Knights Escutcheon. [Edward Ravenscroft, "Mamamouchi, or the Citizen Turn'd Gentleman," 1675]
Example
- 1. All around , there were monuments carved with armorial bearings ; and on this simple slab of slate -- as the curious investigator may still discern , and perplex himself with the purport -- there appeared the semblance of an engraved escutcheon .