Bordure
/ˈbɔːr.djʊər/noun
A decorative border, especially the band surrounding a heraldic shield.
Did you know?In heraldry, a bordure could distinguish a branch of a family or mark a specific lineage, turning a simple edge into a coded symbol of identity and inheritance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*burdą
“A plank, board, or wooden edge”
Old French
Old French
bord
“The side or edge of a ship, later an edge or margin”
12th–13th Century
Old French
bordure
“A border or edging, formed from bord with the suffix -ure”
13th–14th Century
Anglo-French
bordure
“A heraldic border surrounding a shield”
14th Century
Middle English
bordure
“An ornamental edge or heraldic band”
Modern English
English
bordure
“A decorative border, especially one used in heraldry”