What does revers mean?
A revers is a heraldic motto or inscription displayed on the back of a shield, the side not normally visible when a coat of arms is carried or displayed. Such inscriptions often express a family motto, political principle, or maxim associated with the arms. The word may also denote the reverse side of a shield itself. Its principal sense belongs to the specialized vocabulary of heraldry and is much more common in historical descriptions of coats of arms than in modern everyday prose. Although a revers can function conceptually like a motto, the term specifically describes its heraldic setting rather than an arbitrary personal maxim. In general writing, reverse side or simply the back of the shield is more natural, but revers preserves the precise vocabulary used in blazons, armorial descriptions, and historical records of noble insignia.
A heraldic motto or inscription placed on the reverse of a shield.
"The artist added a slender revers beneath the armorial shield."
Chiefly heraldic and uncommon outside descriptions of coats of arms.
The reverse or back side of a shield.
"A decorative pattern covered the revers of the ceremonial shield."
A more specialized and less frequent sense than the heraldic inscription.
The standard plural is reverses, though the word itself is uncommon outside heraldic and historical contexts.
"Several family reverses are recorded in the armorial collection."
A revers turns the back of a shield into a place for words: heraldry can carry both an image and a motto.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does revers come from?
Revers entered English from French revers, meaning the back or reverse side and, by extension, an inscription on the reverse of a shield. The French word derives from the Latin reversus, a past participle of vertere, meaning to turn. Cognate English words such as reverse, reversal, revert, and reversion continue to reflect this same Latin root.
Related word forms
How revers is actually used
This is a specialist and increasingly uncommon heraldic term. In contemporary writing, reverse or the reverse side will usually be clearer.