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Glite Dictionary
regardant

regardant

9.9
Looking back over the shoulder as if watching what is behind
  • adjective
  • /rɪˈɡɑrdənt/
  • Archaic
: mirando hacia atrás
  • In heraldic shields, a lion regardant gazes over its shoulder, as though watching its own back.

Examples

  • In heraldry, a regardant animal often represents a watchful nature.

  • The old painting depicted a knight regardant, glancing warily behind him as he rode forth.

  • The statue was sculpted with a regardant expression, suggesting vigilance and awareness of its surroundings.

  • The regardant lion on the coat of arms symbolizes vigilance.

  • In heraldic art, a lion is depicted as regardant, turning its head to look over its shoulder.

  • The knight in the painting is shown regardant, peering back cautiously as he rides ahead.

  • The regardant figure on the crest conveys a sense of watchfulness and awareness.

Surface Forms

regardant positive

Morphology

regardant = regard (semi-transparent) = regard + ant

The form 'regard' + the adjectival suffix '-ant' suggests 'looking', but the heraldic sense 'looking back over the shoulder' is a domain-specific usage not fully predictable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

Regardant comes from the same root as regard, built from re- meaning 'back' and guard meaning 'watch'. So in heraldry a creature described as regardant is 'looking back over the shoulder', as if watching or guarding its own back.