herald

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɛɹəld/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛɹəld
• Homophone: Harold (Mary–marry–merry merger)

From Latin heraldus, from Middle English herald, herauld, heraud, from Anglo-Norman heraud, from Old French heraut, hiraut (modern French héraut), from Frankish *heriwald, from Proto-Germanic *harjawaldaz, a compound consisting of Proto-Indo-European *ker- (“army”) + *h₂welh₁- (“to be strong”). Doublet of Harold and Harald; compare Walter, which has these elements reversed.

herald (plural heralds)

1. A messenger, especially one bringing important news.

   Synonym: bode

   The herald blew his trumpet and shouted that the King was dead.

2. A harbinger, giving signs of things to come.

   Daffodils are heralds of Spring.

3. (heraldry) An official whose speciality is heraldry, especially one between the ranks of pursuivant and king-of-arms

   Synonym: pursuivant

   Rouge Dragon is a herald at the College of Arms.

4. (entomology) A moth of the species Scoliopteryx libatrix.
5. (advertising) A handbill consisting of an advertisement.
   • 1951 February 24, Billboard, page 52:

     New this season will be a 20-sheet poster depicting 21 K-M elephants parading to local Chevrolet agencies. Deal calls for use of the 20-sheet on poster panels where the auto agency has space allotment. Smaller versions of the same art also will be used.
     Circulation of Kelly-Miller heralds, which last season averaged between 5,000 and 6,000 copies per stand, will be in for one of the greatest boosts this year.

• heraldic
• heraldry

herald (third-person singular simple present heralds, present participle heralding, simple past and past participle heralded)

1. (transitive, often figurative) To proclaim or announce an event.

   Synonyms: disclose, make known; see also Thesaurus:announce

   Daffodils herald the Spring.

   • 2020 December 2, Paul Bigland, “My weirdest and wackiest Rover yet”, in Rail, page 67:

     Our arrival at Worcester is heralded by the appearance of the city's cathedral tower, a solid square structure that's dominated the skyline since the 12th century.

2. (transitive, usually passive) To greet something with excitement; to hail.

   The film was heralded by critics.

herald (plural heralds)

1. Alternative form of hareld (“long-tailed duck”).

• -hedral, Erdahl, Hadler, Halder, hardel, hareld, harled

herald m (plural heralds)

1. herald (messenger)

• erold, arold — obsolete

Cf. German Herold, Italian araldo.

herald m (plural heralzi)

1. deputy in charge of various tasks in medieval courts

• “herald”, in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language) (in Romanian), 2004–2025