orle

[ awrl ]

noun

1. Heraldry.
   1. a charge in the form of a narrow band following the form of the escutcheon within the edge, so that the extreme outer edge of the escutcheon is of the field tincture.
   2. an arrangement in orle of small charges:

      azure, an orle of bezants.

2. Armor. a thick roll of cloth or leather on a helmet forming a base for an ornamental crest.
3. Also called or·let [awr-, ley], Architecture.
   1. a border, as one formed by a fillet.
   2. a fillet at the upper end of the shaft of a column. Compare cincture ( def 3 ).
   3. a fillet between two flutes of a column.

orle

/ ɔːl /

noun

1. heraldry a border around a shield

Word History and Origins

Origin of orle¹

1565–75; < Middle French: border, edge < Vulgar Latin *ōrulus, diminutive of Latin ōra border

Word History and Origins

Origin of orle¹

C16: from French, from ourler to hem

Example Sentences

The same rule, by the way, applies to the tressure, but not to the orle.

From Project Gutenberg

The arms on the memorial to John Pierrepont are—A lion rampant within eight roses in orle.

From Project Gutenberg

The sinister half is occupied by a demi-virgin issuing out of an orle of clouds.

From Project Gutenberg

The disk cut out into a ring becomes a quoit, which is the simplest form of orle.

From Project Gutenberg

Animals or flowers disposed round the escocheon in the same form, are also termed an orle.

From Project Gutenberg