What does plage mean?
A plage is a horizontal band of colour on a heraldic shield. In traditional heraldry, a shield may be divided into several alternating stripes, each called a plage, often formed by tinctures such as metal and colour. The term belongs primarily to the precise vocabulary of heraldic description rather than everyday speech, although heraldic writers may also use the more general word “stripe.” A plage differs from the shield’s main field, called the “field,” and from smaller decorative devices placed upon it. The word is especially associated with British and European heraldic traditions, but it is also used by specialists elsewhere. Knowing it allows one to describe a divided shield accurately, distinguishing the individual horizontal components from the shield as a whole.
nounIn heraldry, one of the alternating horizontal bands or stripes of colour on a shield.
- A horizontal stripe or band on a heraldic shield, especially one of the alternating fields of colour that make up a divided shield.
"The shield is divided into eight golden and blue plages."
"A broad red plage runs across the centre of the escutcheon."
"The heraldic artist painted six blue plages separated by narrow silver bands."
The plural is used when referring to several heraldic bands or stripes.
"The six plages are outlined in black."
On a heraldic shield, a plage is not a beach—it is one of the bold horizontal bands that make the design visible.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does plage come from?
The word was borrowed from French, where it is also used as a heraldic term for a stripe or band. Its ultimate history is associated with Latin plaga, an old word for a region, patch, or strip, from the same broad etymological root that underlies English plague.
How plage is actually used
This is a specialized heraldic term and is uncommon outside descriptions of coats of arms, shields, and related designs.