name
Meaning 1
A surname.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
herald
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ˈhɛɹəld/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Australian, New-Zealand: /ˈheɹəld/
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Scotland, Wales: /ˈhɛɾəld/
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homophone: Harold (Mary–marry–merry merger)
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rhymes with -ɛɹəld
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CMU ARPABET: HH EH1 R AH0 L D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
name
Meaning 2
A census-designated place in Sacramento County, California, United States.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
A messenger, especially one bringing important news.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- The herald blew his trumpet and shouted that the King was dead.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: bode
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
A harbinger, giving signs of things to come.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- Daffodils are heralds of Spring.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
An official whose speciality is heraldry, especially one between the ranks of pursuivant and king-of-arms
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: government, heraldry, hobbies, lifestyle, monarchy, nobility, politics
Examples
- Rouge Dragon is a herald at the College of Arms.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: pursuivant
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
A moth of the species Scoliopteryx libatrix.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: biology, entomology, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 7
A handbill consisting of an advertisement.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: advertising, business, marketing
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 8
Alternative form of hareld (“long-tailed duck”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, alternative
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 9
To proclaim or announce an event.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, often, transitive
Examples
- Daffodils herald the Spring.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: disclose, make known, announce, forerun, blare, declare, herald, impart, publish, proclaim, promulgate, promulge
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 10
To greet something with excitement; to hail.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: passive, transitive, usually
Examples
- The film was heralded by critics.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 11
something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: harbinger, forerunner, predecessor, precursor
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: indication, indicant
noun
Meaning 12
(formal) a person who announces important news
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- the chieftain had a herald who announced his arrival with a trumpet
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: trumpeter
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: messenger, courier
verb
Meaning 13
praise vociferously
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The critics hailed the young pianist as a new Rubinstein
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: acclaim, hail
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: applaud
verb
Meaning 14
greet enthusiastically or joyfully
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hail
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: greet, recognize, recognise
verb
Meaning 15
foreshadow or presage
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: announce, annunciate, harbinger, foretell
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: tell
History
Etymology
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.
Across languages
Translations
128 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Albanian: lajmëtar — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Arabic: بَشِير (bašīr) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Arabic: مُبَشِّر (mubaššir) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Bulgarian: пра́теник (prátenik) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Burmese: သံတော်ဆင့် (samtauhcang.) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Catalan: herald — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Danish: herold — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Dutch: heraut — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Egyptian: wHm-m (wḥm) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Finnish: sanansaattaja — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- French: héraut — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- French: héraldesse — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- German: Herold — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- German: Bote — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Gothic: 𐍃𐍀𐌹𐌻𐌻𐌰 (spilla) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Greek: κήρυκας (kírykas) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Greek: αγγελιοφόρος (angeliofóros) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Ancient Greek: κῆρυξ (kêrux) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Indonesian: bentara — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Irish: aralt — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Irish: bolscaire — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Italian: araldo — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Italian: messaggero — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Italian: messo — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Italian: banditore — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Italian: corriere — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Japanese: 使者 (shisha) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Japanese: 布告者 (fukokusha) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Japanese: 告知者 (kōchisha) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Japanese: 伝令官 (denreikan) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Japanese: ヘラルド (herarudo) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Latin: praecō — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Macedonian: гла́сник (glásnik) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Macedonian: пра́теник (prátenik) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Māori: kaiwaewae — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Māori: karere — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Māori: pūrahorua — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Church Slavic: проповѣдьникъ (propovědĭnikŭ) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Old English: ār — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Persian: جلویز (jalviz) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Persian: قاصد (qāsed) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Persian: پیک (peyk) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Portuguese: arauto — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Portuguese: mensageiro — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Romanian: mesager — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Romanian: trimis — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Romanian: sol — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Russian: ве́стник (véstnik) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Spanish: heraldo — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Swedish: härold — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Turkish: haberci — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Ottoman Turkish: خبرجی (haberci) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Ottoman Turkish: مژدهجی (müjdeci) — a messenger, especially one bringing important news
- Armenian: բանբեր (banber) — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Bulgarian: вестител (vestitel) — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Catalan: herald — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Dutch: aankondiger — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Dutch: verkondiger — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Esperanto: heroldo — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Finnish: airut — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Finnish: tuoja — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Finnish: merkki — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- French: héraldesse — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- German: Verkündiger — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Greek: πρόδρομος (pródromos) — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Greek: προάγγελος (proángelos) — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Italian: foriero — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Italian: precursore — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Italian: premonitore — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Italian: annunciatore — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Japanese: 前触れ (maebure) — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Macedonian: гласник (glasnik) — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Macedonian: весник (vesnik) — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Macedonian: предвесник (predvesnik) — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Māori: kawainga — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Polish: herold — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Portuguese: arauto — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Romanian: mesager — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Romanian: herald — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Romanian: vestitor — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Russian: геро́льд (gerólʹd) — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Serbo-Croatian: glasnik — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Serbo-Croatian: vesnik — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Spanish: heraldo — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Turkish: haberci — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Turkish: resul — a harbinger giving signs of things to come
- Burmese: သံတော်ဆင့် (samtauhcang.) — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- Finnish: heraldikko — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- French: héraut — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- German: Wappenherold — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- German: Wappenausleger — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- Greek: οικοσημολόγος (oikosimológos) — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- Indonesian: bentara — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- Irish: aralt — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- Italian: araldo — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- Japanese: 布告者 (fukokusha) — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- Japanese: 使者 (shisha) — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- Japanese: ヘラルド (herarudo) — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- Macedonian: хералд (herald) — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- Portuguese: arauto — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- Romanian: herald — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- Spanish: heraldo — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- Swedish: härold — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- Swedish: heraldiker — an official whose speciality is heraldry
- Finnish: liuskayökkönen — moth
- French: découpure — moth
- German: Motte — moth
- Polish: szczerbówka — moth
- Turkish: güve — moth
- Bulgarian: възвестявам (vǎzvestjavam) — announce
- Dutch: aankondigen — announce
- Dutch: verkondigen — announce
- Dutch: inluiden — announce
- French: annoncer — announce
- German: verkünden — announce
- Greek: προαναγγέλλω (proanangéllo) — announce
- Italian: annunciare — announce
- Italian: proclamare — announce
- Macedonian: предвестува (predvestuva) — announce
- Macedonian: навестува (navestuva) — announce
- Māori: ārahi — announce
- Norwegian Bokmål: innvarsle — announce
- Romanian: anunța — announce
- Russian: предвещать (predveščatʹ) — announce
- Spanish: anunciar — announce
- Turkish: haber vermek — announce
- Turkish: müjdelemek — announce
- Ottoman Turkish: مژدهلمك (müjdelemek) — announce
Real reading context