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Last updated on
May 6^th, 2005

Faillis

fail"lis

(French.) A fracture in an ordinary, as if it were broken or a splinter taken from it.

Falcon

a falcon jessed and elled

fal"con

Alternate Terms: Gerfalcon, Peregrine Falcon, Tiercelet

The Falcon makes its appearance frequently in heraldry. When it is borne with jesses (leather thongs about its legs), a hood and bells, it is said to be “jessed, hooded and belled.” When represented as feeding, it is “at prey.” The Falcon is also known as a gerfalcon, peregrine falcon and tiercelet. The lure was a bunch of feathers by which the bird was taught to return.

False

false

Said of a charge when the central area is removed.

Feathered

feath"ered

Applied to an arrow in which the feather is of a different tincture from the shaft.

Femme

femme

Used heraldically for wife, as baron is for husband.

Fer de Mouline

a millrind

fer de mou-line"

Said to be the iron which upholds a mill-stone. The essential point of it seems to be, that it shall be a saltire, pierced in the center; but the forms are innumerable.

Fess

Azure, a fess argent

Or, a fess dovetailedpurpure

fess

Alternate Term: Fesse

One of the ordinaries, being a broad horizontal band across the middle of an escutcheon.
One of the ordinaries. A strip or band placed horizontally across the shield, occupying one-third of the field. Its diminutives are the bar, the barrulet and the closet. The term fessy is never used.
The fess is formed by a horizontal line forming the center part of the shield. A bar is similar to the fess, but is generally narrower, and seldom found singly; usually two, three or more bars are found together, or in multiples, forming barry. The bar is never found at the very top of the device, fore that would become a narrow chief. The diminuative of the bar is the barrulet, and when barrulets are placed together, they form couples called bars gemelles, i.e. twin bars. When the barrulet is placed on either side of a fess, the fess is said to be closeted or cotised, the latter term being more typical. This can be said of the other ordinaries being girdled by their diminuatives, e.g. a chevron surrounded by a chevronelle on each side is said to be chevron cotised. An exception of this is the pale, which is said to be endorsed.

Fess Line

fess line

The line constituting the fess.

Fess-Point

fess-point

Alternate Term: Coeur

The middle point on the shield. By the same analogy a charge depicted horizontally is said to be “in fess”.
The center point of an escutcheon.
The heart of the shield.

Fess-Wise

fess-wise

Alternate Terms: Fessesays, Fessewise, Fesse-wise

Said of objects borne horizontally in the middle of the field; or in the shape of a fess; after the manner of a fess.

Fetterlock

a fetterlock

feht-ter-lok'

A form of lock similar to a handcuff or letter “D”, in which the curved part is hinged to one end of the straight part, and fastens at the other end.
Sometimes borne as a charge.
“A fetterlock and a shaklebolt azure what may that mean?” – Ivanhoe.

Field

field

The basic surface on the shield on which the charges are placed. When blazoning, the field is always stated first.
The background area of a shield or one of the divisions of the background.
The surface of a shield upon which the charges or bearings are blazoned; or, of each separate coat when the shield is quartered or impaled.

Fillet

fil"let

A narrow horizontal band placed in the lower fourth area of the chief.
A bearing equaling in breadth one-fourth of the chief. It is a narrow strip laid upon the chief, a little above its lower margin. Guillim mentions the fillet as the diminutive of the chief.

Fimbriated

fim"bri-a'ted

Edged.
Said of a charge having a narrow edging of another tincture all round it. Herein it is held to differ from edged, a term used when the edging is only on the part toward the field.
Ornamented with a narrow border or hem of another tincture.
When two metals or colours are placed next to each other, there has to be an edging between them in traditional heraldry to stop them from touching.

Fir Tree

a line fir tree

fehr tree

A complex field division line that consists of a jagged lines resembling little fir trees moving back and forth. This seems particular to Finnish heraldry.

Fir Twig

a line fir twig

ferh twihg

A complex field division line that consists of a curved lines resembling little fir twigs moving back and forth. This seems particular to Finnish heraldry.

Fireball

fire"ball'

A charge resembling the ancient war instrument of that name, which was an oval-shaped projectile made of canvas and filled with combustible composition.

Fish

a dolphin

fihsh

Fishes do not appear frequently in heraldry, and are rarely seen in the earlier coats. Among those used are:

The above are all heraldically fish, regardless of their position in any other science.

The fish may be borne natant, horizontal; haurient, vertical; embowed, bent.

Fissure

fis"sure

The fourth part of the bend sinister. See Also Baton.

Fitchy

a cross fitchy-foote

fitch"y

Alternate Terms: Fiched, Fitched, Fitchee

When the lower end of the Cross pointed.
Pointed like a dagger; sharpened at the lower extremity. Fitchy is generally applied to crosses that taper from the center downward. Fitchy at the foot is used when the tapering begins near the bottom of the Cross.

Flamant

a cross flamant

fla"mant

Alternate Term: Flammant

Flaming, burning, blazing; a torch; a firebrand.

Flanch

flanch

Alternate Terms: Flanque, Flasque, Flaunch

The segment of a circle taken out of the two sides or flanks of the shield, the margin of which forms the cord. The flanch is always used in pairs one on each side. Its diminutive is the voider. Neither is of great antiquity.
A bearing consisting of a segment of a circle encroaching on the field from the side.
Note: Flanches are always in pairs. A pair of Flanches is considered one of the subordinaries.

Fleur de Gley

fleur de gley

Originally the yellow Iris, and applied in early heraldic treatises, such as De Heraudie, to the gold flowers in French royal arms, but they could also be any tincture.

Fleur de Lys

a fleur de lys

fleur de lys

Originally the white Lily, and applied in early heraldic treatises to the white flowers attributed to the Virgin Mary, but later the term was used also for the flower of the French royal arms, and subsequently to any conventionalized flower of this form and of any tincture.
Heraldically this is a flower, and stands at the head of the flowers of heraldry. Its origin is unknown, one “authority” claiming that it was brought down from heaven by an angel for the arms of France. It is also said to mean the flower of Louis (Fleur de Louis), and was certainly used by Louis VII. It is undoubtedly the “flower of the Lily.”

Originally the royal banner of France was seme of lis (completely covered with fleur de lys); but from the time of Charles VI it has consisted of three golden with fleur de lys on a blue field.

The with fleur de lys did not at first meet with much favor in England, and did not become popular, in fact, until its assumption by Edward III. The French quartering in the English royal arms was abolished by George VI on his accession.

When used as in cadency the fleur de lys represents the sixth son.

Fleury

a cross fleury

fleur"y

Alternate Terms: Fleurette, Floretty, Flory, Flourished

Embellished with fleur de lys, or powdered with them.
A bearing adorned with fleur de lys, trefoils, etc.

Fleury-Counter Fleury

the Royal Banner of cotland

A complex field division line that consists of fluer-de-lys alternating regular and inverted on the line. This form a line of partition can be seen in the Royal banner of Scotland.

Flotant

flo"tant

Flying or streaming in the air, as a flag flying to the breezes. When applied to a bird it is the same as Volant.

Foldage

fohld'ij

Applied to leaves having several foldings and turnings, one from the other.

Formee

a cross patee

for'mee

Alternate Terms: Formy, Paty

Of a Cross, with the ends of the arms considerably wider at their junction.
A Cross having the arms expanding toward the ends and flat at the outer edges. It differs from the Cross patee in that the extremities of the formee reach the edge of the field.

Fountain

A fountain

foun"tain

A bearing resembling the roundel. It is a disk divided by six lines wavy, tinctured argent and azure, to represent water.

Fourchy

a cross fourchy

fohr-chee'

Alternate Term: Fourchee

Applied to a Cross having the ends forked as branches, and with the ends of the branches terminating abruptly as if cut off.

Fracted

frac"ted

Broken.
Having a part displaced, as a chevron fracted.

Fraise

fraise

A strawberry leaf. Used typically on a ducal coronet.

Free

free

A term applied to a horse when represented in a field.

Fret

a fret Or

freht

Alternate Term: Harrington Knot

A Saltire interlaced with a Mascle. When the who field or charged is covered by narrow interlacing diagonal bands, it is “Fretty”.
A bearing composed of bars crossed and interlaced, representing a trellis. This was originally borne Fretty. Usually composed of eight pieces. When the joints are nailed it is clouce

Fretted

freht'ted

Alternate Term: Fretten

Aplied to charges interlaced with each other.

Fretty

Purpure, fretty Or

fret"ty

Applied to a bordure of eight, ten or more pieces, each reaching the extremity of the shield, and interlaced after the manner of the fret.

The fret of eight parts was originally blazoned as Fretty. For instance, Maltravers bore “sable, Fretty Or.” This later became “sable, a fret Or.”

Fructed

fruc"ted

Bearing fruit. Applied to a tree or plant when so represented.

Fumant

fu"mant

Emitting smoke.

Fur

fuhr

There are several furs that are used in place of metals. These furs are patterns of tinctures that represent historical and heraldic furs using in blazoning, relating back to the covering of shields with the skins of animals, such as ermines and vair.

There are three main types of fur:

Furiosant

fur"i-o-sant

Alternate Term: Rangant

An epithet applied to a bull or other animal when represented as in a rage or fury.

Furnished

fur"nished

Said of a horse when borne bridled, saddled and completely caparisoned.

Fusil

a fusil

fu"sil

A Lozenge with the top and bottom elongated. When the field is covered with Fusils, it is ‘Fusilly’.
An elongated Lozenge. The word comes from the French fuscan = a spindle, and the bearing is supposed to represent a distaff charged with a yarn.
“Fusils must be made long, and small in the middle. In the ancient coat of Montague (Montacute?), ‘argent, three Fusils in fess gules.’ ” Peacham.
It has been said the Perceys derived their Fusils from their lordship of Spindleton.

Fusilly

fu-sil"ly

Charged form with Fusils are thus termed.

Fylfot

a fylfot

Alternate Terms: Gammadion, Swastika

A charge of unknown origin. It has been termed ‘the mark of Thor's hammer‘, and it has also been proved to be a sacred in India. It is very rarely used as a charge. A swastika.
Similar to a swastika or a gammadion.
A historical Cross. Named for its whirling appearance. It is not attested in period or SCA Armory.

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Last updated on
September 9^th, 2005