heralding
|her-ald-ing|
/ˈhɛrəl.dɪŋ/
(herald)
sign or messenger
Etymology
'herald' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'heraut'/'herault', which came via Frankish '*hariwald' (or similar Germanic forms), where 'hari-' meant 'army' and '-wald' meant 'ruler' or 'power'.
'herald' changed from Old French 'heraut'/'herault' (a messenger or official who proclaims) into Middle English forms such as 'heraud' and eventually became the modern English word 'herald'.
Initially it was formed from elements meaning 'army' + 'ruler' (reflecting a Germanic name/compound), then it came to mean 'a messenger or official who proclaims' in Old French and Middle English; over time it broadened to the modern senses of 'announce' or 'act as a sign of'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act or process of announcing or signaling; an instance of announcing; a sign that something will happen.
The heralding of the festival began with a trumpet fanfare.
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Verb 1
present participle of 'herald': to announce or proclaim the coming of something; to introduce or usher in.
Heralding a new era, the reform package changed many older regulations.
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Verb 2
present participle of 'herald': (intransitive) to be a sign or omen of something to come; to foreshadow.
Dark clouds were heralding an approaching storm.
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Last updated: 2025/09/24 04:18