Scutcheon
/ˈskʌtʃən/noun
A shield, especially one bearing a coat of arms; also the shield-shaped plate around a keyhole or other fitting.
Did you know?The word was originally a reduced form of *escutcheon*, from Old French *escuçon*, a diminutive of *escu* “shield,” so its history is basically a miniature armor story.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*skeu-
“to cover, wrap, or protect”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skūz
“shield”
Old Frankish
Frankish
*skūdō
“shield”
Old French
OF
escuçon
“small shield”
Middle English
ME
scutcheon
“shield; armorial shield”
Modern English
English
scutcheon
“a shield or shield-shaped plate”