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 used 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, literal and metaphorical. The word is ultimately Germanic in origin, coming from a long-lost word that can be translated as "one directing or having authority over a body of armed men," 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, turned into a generic noun, 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

The Silver Surfer was introduced in in Fantastic Four No. 48 as the herald of Galactus, a planet-eating entity, though that version of the Surfer was an alien astronomer known as Norrin Radd. —Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Apr. 2024

In fact, this black herald of the dawn of the Soviet experiment didn’t appear in Russia until 1988, in the fading dusk of the U.S.S.R. —Benjamin Kunkel, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024

Vibe: From the herald angel in the back corner to the walls that appear to be covered in wrapping paper, this place bleeds Christmas. —Fritz Hahn, Washington Post, 6 Dec. 2023

The monarch then took part in the procession that includes heralds, Great Officers of State and members of the Royal Household. —Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 7 Nov. 2023

How did the Beer Hall Putsch herald Hitler’s rise to power? When Hitler was released from prison in December 1924, he was banned from giving speeches in much of Germany. —Ellen Wexler, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Nov. 2023

Tuesday's glam night in Singapore saw stars like actress Cate Blanchett, Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham and Emmy award-winning actor and producer Sterling K. Brown herald the next wave of environmentalists and businesses who have some of the answers to the planet's most pressing problems. —Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 7 Nov. 2023

As the herald of Galactus, this sleek silver being skims through the universe, dodging meteors, while riding his shiny surfboard. —Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 8 Sep. 2023

Backed by a full band, Kenny channeled Patchy the Pirate and Taylor went for something more closely resembling a medieval town herald. —Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2023

Verb

This summer heralds an exciting new set of achievements beginning with the reimagination of Nemacolin’s centerpiece hotel, The Chateau. —Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2024

This niggle left the Dane out of the rapturous 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano before international football took over the calendar, in what was widely heralded to be the best performance of the season from Xavi Hernandez's men. —Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

After the quiet winter months, spring heralds the return of longer days and gathering over leisurely meals. —Lidey Heuck, New York Times, 29 Mar. 2024

Initially heralded as a visionary deal, the $350 billion merger—which remains the largest in American corporate history—quickly devolved, costing investors billions and many employees their retirement savings. —Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2024

Friday night’s attacks herald a new dark chapter for Putin, one that is deeply familiar to him. —Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024

Police brutality activists heralded the charges, which came just a week after city officials signed two agreements with the federal government pledging to clean up the troubled department. —Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press, 16 Mar. 2024

Earlier this year, Carter Cash was at the center of the JUNE documentary, which heralded her accomplishments as a musician, singer, songwriter and entertainer, which extended beyond solely her connection to the work, life and legacy of her husband and music icon Johnny Cash. —Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2024

But before that, Masur will lead the orchestra and Milwaukee Symphony Chorus in Bach's Christmas Oratorio (Nov. 22-24), a classical subscription series program shortly before Thanksgiving that will herald the MSO's holiday programs. —Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2024

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

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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