herald

Meanings

Noun

• A messenger, especially one bringing important news.
• A harbinger, giving signs of things to come.
• An official whose speciality is heraldry, especially one between the ranks of pursuivant and king-of-arms.
• A moth of the species Scoliopteryx libatrix (species).
• Alternative of hareld

Verb

• To proclaim or announce an event.
• To greet something with excitement; to hail.

Related

Similar words

• messenger
• harbinger
• pursuivant

Origin

• 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- + *h₂welh₁-. Compare Walter, which has these elements reversed.