Tincture Nomenclature
The names of the tinctures mainly come to us from Norman French:
- Azure is from the French azur from Arabic lazward (لازورد) from Persian lâzward ( lâzhward or lâdjward) meaning lapis lazuli.
- Sable is named after the fur of the sable marten.
- Gules may be from the French gueules, which is thought to refer to animals' red throats.
Although the English term vert is also from French, the French use the word sinople to refer to the tincture.
The patterns illustrated are occasionally used to depict arms in a monochromatic context, such as a "hatching" (sketch) or engraving.
Read more about this topic: Tincture (heraldry)