Etymologically
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herald

Etymology and origin of the English word herald

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 1300
Borrowed from
Anglo-Norman heraud
Ultimate origin
Frankish (*hariwald)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈher.əld/[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Anglo-Norman heraud, Old French heraut, hiraut,[2][3][4] from Frankish *hariwald (“commander of an army”),[2][3] a compound of words represented in Old High German heri (“army”) (see harry) and waltan (“to rule”) (see wield);[2][4][3] compare the Germanic names Chariovalda in Tacitus and Old Norse Haraldr.[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

An officer expert in arms, armorial bearings and tournaments: probably about 1300, in Guy of Warwick;[2] the surname Haroud is from 1204.[2] A messenger or envoy, late 13th century in Anglo-Latin.[3]

Semantic evolution

Etymonline finds the sense development hard to explain, unless from the chief officer of a tournament, who introduced the knights and ruled on disputes.[3] One who proclaims another's message, a messenger, is from 1377,[6] and a forerunner or harbinger from the 16th century.[4] An officer of the College of Arms (founded 1483), expert in heraldry, is a herald from 1588 in the OED.[6] The verb, to sound the praises of, is from the late 14th century.[3] Heraldry is from the 16th century.[4]

Timeline

  • 1204 – Haroud (surname).[2]
  • c. 1300 – an officer of arms.[2]
  • 1377 – a messenger.[6]
  • late 14th century – to herald (verb).[3]
  • 16th century – a forerunner.[4]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A person who brings or announces important news; a messenger.
  2. A sign of something to come; a harbinger.
  3. An official expert in heraldry and coats of arms.

Verb

  1. To announce or be a sign of: to herald a new age.

Word family

  • unheralded
  • heraldic
  • heraldry
  • harry
  • wield
  • Harold

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d e Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Herald.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/herald. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·