armiger
1
9.9
A person who may show a family coat of arms
- noun
- /ˈɑːrmɪdʒər/
- Specialized
:
armígero
- Only those with noble lineage could claim the title of armiger and display their heraldic arms.
Examples
-
The heir to the estate was an armiger, proudly representing his family's ancient crest at various ceremonies.
-
The long historical redefinition of the word gentleman as a term reflecting moral virtues rather than birth into the class of armigers is now complete.
Academic text (1993) -
In medieval England, an armiger was often responsible for carrying the family's coat of arms during a battle.
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word armiger comes from the Latin words arma meaning 'weapons' and -ger meaning 'one who carries', so it originally meant a 'weapons-carrier'. That's why an armiger is a person allowed to 'bear' a coat of arms and show their family's shield.