herald
/ˈhɛɹəld/ noun, verb, proper noun
Forms heralds heralding heralded
- noun A messenger, especially one bringing important news. “The herald blew his trumpet and shouted that the King was dead.”
- noun A harbinger, giving signs of things to come. “Daffodils and robins are heralds of Spring.”
- noun (heraldry) An official whose speciality is heraldry, especially one between the ranks of pursuivant and king-of-arms “Rouge Dragon is a herald at the College of Arms.”
- noun (entomology) A moth of the species Scoliopteryx libatrix.
- noun (advertising) A handbill consisting of an advertisement.
- verb (transitive, often figurative) To proclaim or announce an event. “Daffodils herald the Spring.”
- verb (transitive, usually passive) To greet something with excitement; to hail. “The film was heralded by critics.”
- proper noun A surname.
- proper noun A census-designated place in Sacramento County, California, United States.
Synonyms
bode pursuivant disclose make known announce forerun blare declare impart publish proclaim promulgate promulge trumpeter harbinger forerunner predecessor precursor annunciate foretell acclaim hail
Etymology
From Latin heraldus, from Middle English herald, herauld, heraud, from Anglo-Norman heraud, from Old French heraut, hiraut (modern French héraut), from Frankish *heriwald, from Proto-Germanic *harjawaldaz, a compound consisting of Proto-Indo-European *ker- (“army”) + *h₂welh₁- (“to be strong”). Doublet of Harold and Harald; compare Walter, which has these elements reversed.
Webster’s 1913
- noun An officer whose business was to denounce or proclaim war, to challenge to battle, to proclaim peace, and to bear messages from the commander of an army. He was invested with a sacred and inviolable character.
- noun In the Middle Ages, the officer charged with the above duties, and also with the care of genealogies, of the rights and privileges of noble families, and especially of armorial bearings. In modern times, some vestiges of this office remain, especially in England. See Heralds' College (below), and King-at-Arms.
- verb To introduce, or give tidings of, as by a herald; to proclaim; to announce; to foretell; to usher in. Shak.
Etymology [OE. herald, heraud, OF. heralt, heraut, herault, F. héraut, LL. heraldus, haraldus, fr. (assumed) OHG. heriwalto, hariwaldo, a (civil) officer who serves the army; hari, heri, army + waltan to manage, govern, G. walten; akin to E. wield. See Harry, Wield.]
Etymology [Cf. OF. herauder, heraulder.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “herald”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details