Meaning & use
family crest
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A design or symbol, often with a shield, used to represent a family, especially in European heraldry.
Grammar: Countable: one family crest, two family crests. It can also be used before another noun: a family crest ring.
Patterns
- a family crest
- the family crest of someone
- on a family crest
- a family crest ring
The old silver spoon had a family crest engraved on the handle.
They hung a painting of their family crest above the fireplace.
He asked an artist to design a family crest for their new home.
nouncountabletechnical
In strict heraldic use, the figure placed on top of a helmet above a coat of arms.
Grammar: Specialist use: the crest is only the top part, not the whole shield. Most everyday speakers do not make this distinction.
Patterns
- the crest of a coat of arms
- a crest above the shield
In heraldry, the crest sits on top of the helmet, above the shield.
The lion in the crest is different from the lion on the shield.
Word forms
| plural | family crests |
|---|
Common combinations
- a family crest ring
- He wears a family crest ring on his little finger.
- bear a family crest
- The oldest branch of the family bears a family crest on its stationery.
- engraved with a family crest
- The watch was engraved with a family crest.
- trace your family crest
- Many websites promise to help you trace your family crest.
- the family crest of the Smiths
- The family crest of the Smiths shows three small stars.
Synonyms and how they differ
- coat of arms
- A coat of arms is the full design, including the shield; a family crest is technically only the part above the helmet, though people often use the two terms interchangeably.
- emblem
- An emblem is any symbol used to represent a group or idea; a family crest is specifically a heraldic design for a family.
Word family
- crest noun
- The top part of a coat of arms, or a decoration on a helmet or shield.
- crested adjective
- Having a crest, as in a crested helmet or a crested bird.
Commonly confused: family crest or family tree? family crest or creast?
family crest vs family tree
A family tree shows how family members are related; a family crest is a symbol or design, not a record of relatives.
family crest vs creast
'Creast' is a common misspelling; the correct spelling is crest.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'family crest' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A family crest is a design that can be engraved on an object. 'Family tree' is a record of relatives, not a design; 'crests of one' is not natural; and 'a family crests' is wrong because 'a' cannot go with a plural noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “family crest”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.