herald

1 of 2

noun

her·​ald ˈher-əld 

ˈhe-rəld

1

a

: an official at a tournament of arms (see arm entry 3 sense 1a) with duties including the making of announcements and the marshaling of combatants

b

: an officer with the status of ambassador acting as official messenger between leaders especially in war

c(1)

: officer of arms

(2)

: an officer of arms ranking above a pursuivant and below a king of arms

2

: an official crier or messenger

Mercury was the gods' herald.

3

a

: one that precedes or foreshadows

heralds of a coming storm

b

: one that conveys news or proclaims : announcer

it was the lark, the herald of the morn

—William Shakespeare

c

: one who actively promotes or advocates : exponent

herald

2 of 2

verb

heralded; heralding; heralds

transitive verb

1

: to give notice of : announce

a gong used to herald the new year

the approach of a cold air mass … is heralded by a shift of the wind

—P. E. James

2

a

: to greet especially with enthusiasm : hail

doctors are heralding a new drug

b

: publicize

a highly heralded event

3

: to signal the approach of : foreshadow

The technology heralded a new age of space exploration.

Did you know?

While herald the verb is more common today, herald the noun is older. When the word was first welcomed into English in the early 14th century, it referred to an official at a tournament (one of those knightly sporting events the Middle Ages are famous for). The herald's duties included making announcements, hence the word's uses relating to announcements both literal and metaphorical. The word is ultimately Germanic in origin, though like so many words of 14th century vintage, it came to English by way of Anglo-French. The resemblance between herald and the name Harold is not coincidental: Harold is a modern form of Chariovalda, the name of a 1st century C.E. leader of the Batavi, a tribe who lived on the lower Rhine. The Germanic source of Chariovalda, haria-, is also the source of herald.

Synonyms

Noun

• advocate
• advocator
• apostle
• backer
• booster
• champion
• espouser
• exponent
• expounder
• friend
• gospeler
• gospeller
• hierophant
• high priest
• paladin
• promoter
• proponent
• protagonist
• supporter
• true believer
• tub-thumper
• white knight

Verb

• adumbrate
• forerun
• foreshadow
• harbinger
• prefigure

Choose the Right Synonym for herald

forerunner, precursor, harbinger, herald mean one that goes before or announces the coming of another.

forerunner is applicable to anything that serves as a sign or presage.

the blockade was the forerunner of war

precursor applies to a person or thing paving the way for the success or accomplishment of another.

18th century poets like Burns were precursors of the Romantics

harbinger and herald both apply, chiefly figuratively, to one that proclaims or announces the coming or arrival of a notable event.

their early victory was the harbinger of a winning season

the herald of a new age in medicine

Examples of herald in a Sentence

Noun

The early flowers are heralds of spring.

Mercury was the herald of the Roman gods.

Verb

Rain heralds the arrival of spring.

The technology heralded a new age of space exploration.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In some alternate realities, both Norrin Radd and Shalla-Bal have served as heralds of Galactus. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025

The authors of the Yale study sincerely see themselves as heralds of empirical science, whatever the political ramifications. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2025

Verb

It was heralded as a watershed moment, a legally binding document to transform a police department with a troubled history. —Natasha Dartigue, Baltimore Sun, 23 Apr. 2025

The Commonwealth is heralded as a national bellwether, like clockwork every four years. —Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English heraud, herald, harawd, borrowed from Anglo-French heraud, herald (continental Old French nominative hirauz, oblique hyraut), borrowed from Old Low Franconian *heriwalda-, from *heri- "body of armed men" (going back to Germanic *harja-) + *-walda- "one directing or having authority," noun derivative of *waldan- "to have authority over, rule" — more at harry, wield

Note: The Germanic compound noun exemplified by *heriwalda- is evident very early as a personal name, Chariovalda, a leader of the Batavi (a tribe living on the lower Rhine) mentioned by Tacitus (1st century a.d.). Later forms of the name are Hereweald (Old English) and Haraldr (Old Norse), whence the modern name Harold, and Heriwald (Old High German).

Verb

Middle English herauden "to sound the praises of," borrowed from Middle French hirauder, herauder "(of a herald) to proclaim publicly, to praise unreservedly," derivative of hiraud, heraud herald entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

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

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for herald

• imperiled
• imperilled

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

herald

1 of 2 noun

her·​ald ˈher-əld 

1

: an official announcer or messenger

2

: an officer responsible for granting and registering coats of arms

3

: one that precedes or foreshadows : harbinger

herald

2 of 2 verb

1

: to give notice of : announce

2

: to greet with enthusiasm : hail