respectant

Respectant is an English term with two principal senses. In general use, it is an archaic or literary adjective meaning showing respect or regard, derived from Latin respectans, the present participle of respicere, “to look at, regard.” In contemporary prose it is uncommon, with respectful or regardful being preferred.

In heraldry, respectant is a technical term describing two charges or supporters that face toward the center of the shield. It is used in blazoning to indicate the inward-facing posture of paired figures, signaling that their heads are turned toward each other. This term is part of a group of heraldic postures that describe how creatures are posed on the shield.

Usage in blazoning is concise and specific. For example, a coat of arms might be described as having “two lions respectant” or “two eagles respectant,” indicating the facing orientation of the supporters toward the shield’s center. The term helps distinguish the arrangement from other postures such as statant, passant, or rampant.

Etymology traces respectant to Latin respectans, from respicere “to look at, regard.” In heraldic contexts the meaning is purely positional and unrelated to etiquette. Outside heraldry, the word remains rare and is generally encountered in historical, literary, or descriptive writings about coats of arms and armorial devices.