Shieldshaped

Shieldshaped is an adjective used to describe an object whose silhouette resembles that of a shield. In practice, it most often denotes a form with a broad, rounded upper edge that tapers toward a narrower base, producing a convex curve or pointed bottom. The term is descriptive rather than technical and can apply to three-dimensional profiles as well as flat outlines.

In heraldry, shield-shaped forms are central. The shield, or escutcheon, is the primary surface on which arms and charges are displayed; many coats of arms are rendered on a shield-shaped field. Historical shield silhouettes include the heater shield, with a broad upper curve and a tapering point, and the kite shield, longer and more pointed. These shapes have influenced later emblems, logos, and decorative devices.

Outside heraldry, shieldshaped silhouettes appear in branding, jewelry, and architecture to evoke tradition, protection, or authority. The term is also used in botany and anatomy to describe leaves, plates, or structures that resemble a shield, and in geography or geology to describe landforms or plan views that approximate a shield-like outline.

See also: escutcheon, heraldry, shield shape.