Alerions

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of heraldic bird resembling an eagle, often depicted without feet and typically found in the coats of arms of noble families
2. A heraldic symbol characterized by a stylized bird that has its wings displayed, often used in medieval insignia
3. A creature used in heraldry, illustrated without legs and associated with various noble and royal emblems throughout history

Etymology: "Alerions" is the plural of "alerion," a heraldic bird that looks like an eagle but is usually shown without feet, and it appears on the coats of arms of many noble families. The singular came into English from Middle French "alerion," which has the same form in modern French as "alérion." The Middle French word is the source to trace here, and beyond that the record for the word's earlier history is thin. What is clear is that the term belongs to the specialized vocabulary of heraldry, the medieval art of designing and describing coats of arms, so its history lives in the armorial tradition rather than in everyday speech.