escutcheon
/ɪˈskʌt͡ʃən/ · noun
Meaning
- The shield on which a coat of arms is displayed, or, by extension, the coat of arms itself.
- A small shield used to charge a larger one.
- The pattern of distribution of hair upon the pubic mound.
- A marking upon the back of a cow's udder and the space above it (the perineum), formed by the hair growing upward or outward instead of downward. It was once taken as an index of milking qualities.
- The part of a ship's stern where its name is displayed.
- A decorative or protective plate or bezel designed to fill the gap between a switch, pipe, valve, control knob, etc., and the surface from which it protrudes.
- The insignia around a doorknob's exterior hardware or a door lock's cosmetic plate.
- The depression behind the beak of certain bivalves; the ligamental area.
Etymology / origin
From Middle English scochon, from Anglo-Norman escuchon, Old French escusson (French écusson), ultimately from Latin scutum (“shield”). Related to scutum, scute, scudo, escudo, and écu.
- scutum(Latin)→
- escusson(fro)→
- escuchon(xno)→
- scochon(Middle English)→
- escutcheon (English)
- Relations: inh, der, der, der
Related words
Sources
No citations have been attached yet.