blazon

1 of 2

noun

bla·​zon ˈblā-zᵊn How to pronounce blazon (audio)
1
a
: armorial bearings : coat of arms
b
: the proper description or representation of heraldic or armorial bearings
2
: ostentatious display

blazon

2 of 2

verb

blazoned; blazoning ˈblāz-niŋ How to pronounce blazon (audio)
ˈblā-zᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

1
: to publish widely : proclaim
2
a
: to describe (heraldic or armorial bearings) in technical terms
b
: to represent (armorial bearings) in drawing or engraving
3
a
b
: deck, adorn
the town was blazoned with flags
blazoner
ˈblāz-nər How to pronounce blazon (audio)
ˈblā-zᵊn-ər
noun
blazoning noun

Examples of blazon in a Sentence

Verb their very public canoodling has pretty much blazoned the fact that they are having an affair the city's waterfront has been blazoned with banners celebrating the festival of tall ships
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The new design hews to the existing skyline but pulls away from the street, ceding primacy to the original and treating the bell tower as its prominent blazon. Curbed, 18 July 2022 The Android-only app with the blazon of the French republic will be the only way for residents to create a legal digital ID and facial recognition will be its sole enabler. BostonGlobe.com, 7 Oct. 2019
Verb
Before booking tours and excursions, some reef advocates recommend seeking out businesses blazoned with EarthCheck or EcoTourism Australia certifications, which identifies outfitters and accommodations that have made efforts toward sustainability. Tree Meinch, Discover Magazine, 15 Feb. 2023 There were lines at The Washington Post’s downtown office Thursday as fans sought to buy a copy of the day’s paper celebrating the win and a 12-page commemorative edition with a single-word headline blazoned across the top of the front page: CHAMPS! Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2019 There were Disney characters blazoned on the curtains, the soap, the armoire. James Marcus, The New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2019 The far-right white nationalist Identitarian movement’s symbol, blazoned in gold against a black background, is the circle of an aspis, the round shield that was a Spartan warrior’s principal piece of equipment. Myke Cole, The New Republic, 1 Aug. 2019 The packaging—blazoned in #millennialpink with a fashion illo of lashes or lips—admittedly speaks to a slightly younger demo (as do the $10.50 glitter pots). Lindsay Schallon, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2017 Already in 1492, when Christopher Columbus embarked for the Indies, the German mariner and cosmographer Georg Martin Behaim had blazoned an animal that might be a polar bear near the North Pole of his 1492 Erdapfel (Earth Apple) globe. Michael Engelhard, Smithsonian, 31 May 2017 The company even sells monorail blazoned socks and others items paying homage to the ride that has existed since 1971 when the Magic Kingdom first opened. Gabrielle Russon, OrlandoSentinel.com, 25 June 2017 The Leave campaign bus was blazoned with a promise that quitting Europe could add 350 million pounds per week to the National Health Service. David Frum, The Atlantic, 9 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blazon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English blason, from Anglo-French

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blazon was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near blazon

Cite this Entry

“Blazon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blazon. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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