Tabard

Definition of tabard:

part of speech: noun

An ancient close- fitting garment, open at the sides, with wide sleeves, or flaps, reaching to the elbows. It was worn over the body armor, and was generally emblazoned with the arms of the wearer or of his lord. At first the tabard was very long, reaching to the mid- leg, but it was afterwards made shorter. It was at first chiefly worn by the military, but afterwards became an ordinary article of dress among other classes in France and England in the middle ages. In England the tabard is now only worn by heralds and pursuivants of arms, and is embroidered with the arms of the sovereign. This garment gave name to the ancient hostelry from which Chaucer's Canterbury pilgrims started.

part of speech: noun

Formerly, a short, coarse outer coat; a loose garment or mantle worn over armor; the coat of an ancient herald.

Usage examples for tabard:

• She was suckling the third, and teaching her eldest, the young Fulke of Anjou, his Creed, or as much of it as she could remember, when there came up a herald from Tortosa who bore upon his tabard the three leopards of England. "The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-Nay", Maurice Hewlett.

• He was dressed in a tabard or robe of red damask, over which was thrown a short black mantle, embroidered in gold. "The Rise of the Dutch Republic, Volume II.(of III) 1566-74", John Lothrop Motley Last Updated: January 25, 2009.

• They spoke, and then an upper- servant, his tabard blazoned with the yellow flame and black hammer of Karvall mills, approached his master with some tale of domestic crisis, and the two went away together. "Space Viking", Henry Beam Piper.

• As we approached each other, I saw that he wore a plumed helmet, and seemed to be otherwise clothed in steel, but bore a curious addition also- a stiff square garment like a herald's tabard "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Part 3.", Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens).