Herald
/ˈhɛr.əld/noun
A person who announces news or signals the arrival of someone or something important.
Did you know?The word entered English through Old French from a Germanic root, and in medieval Europe a herald wasn’t just a crier — they were official masters of ceremony, identity, and noble lineage.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*heriwaldaz
“army commander or leader”
Old High German
OHG
heriwalt
“army ruler, commander”
Old French
OF
herault
“a herald; messenger; officer of arms”
Middle English
ME
heraud
“a messenger or officer who makes official proclamations”
Modern English
English
herald
“an official messenger or a sign of something about to happen”