escutcheon

An escutcheon is a term with multiple related meanings, all deriving from a shield-shaped form. In heraldry, an escutcheon is the shield or shield-shaped surface that bears a coat of arms. The term also refers to the coat of arms depicted on such a shield, and in descriptions the shield itself is often called the escutcheon. In heraldic descriptions, the escutcheon can display tinctures, charges, and heraldic ordinaries according to blazon.

In architecture and interior hardware, an escutcheon plate is a flat plate that surrounds a keyhole, door knob, or lever handle, and often covers rough edges or mounting holes. Escutcheon plates vary in shape—round, square, octagonal—and in material, including brass, nickel, chrome, and porcelain. They serve both decorative and protective functions, helping to prevent wear on the surrounding surface and to reduce the chance of tampering.

In plumbing and bathroom fixtures, an escutcheon plate covers the gap where a pipe, valve, or faucet passes through a wall or floor. It provides a finished appearance and may create a seal to exclude dust or moisture.

The spelling escutcheon has variants, notably scutcheon, and the word is sometimes used metaphorically to describe any shield-like cover. The term's common thread is the protection or display of something beneath a shield-shaped plate.