Etymologically
Log in

escutcheon

Etymology and origin of the English word escutcheon

History Permalink

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɪˈskʌt͡ʃən/[1]

Etymology

It comes from Middle English escochon,[2][3] from Old Northern French escuchon,[2][4][5][6] a variant of Old French escusson,[4][5] from Vulgar Latin *scutio,[2][4][5][3] from Latin scutum (“shield”).[2][4][5][3][6] It is related to esquire and squire.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In heraldry, the shield or shield-shaped surface on which a coat of arms is shown (1480).[4][5][7]

Semantic evolution

Figuratively the word appears in phrases like a blot on one's escutcheon, a stain on one's reputation (1697).[7][6] It was also used of anything shaped like a shield,[7] such as a protective plate around a keyhole and the part of a ship's stern bearing its name.[2][3][6] An escutcheon of pretence is a small shield bearing the arms of an heiress, placed on her husband's shield (1677).[7][5]

Timeline

  • 1480 – a heraldic shield.[4][7]
  • 1677 – escutcheon of pretence.[7]
  • 1697 – figurative, as in a blot on an escutcheon.[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A shield or shield-shaped surface bearing a coat of arms.
  2. An ornamental or protective plate, as around a keyhole or door handle.
  3. The part of a ship's stern on which its name is displayed.

Word family

  • escutcheoned

Usage notes

Random House records the idiom a blot on one's escutcheon, a stain on one's reputation.[6]

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  5. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c d e Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Escutcheon.” Etymologically, 11 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/escutcheon. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·