rondel

Rondel, from the Old French rondel meaning “little round,” is a term used for several related but distinct concepts in literature and heraldry. In poetry, the rondel is a fixed verse form that circulated in medieval French lyric poetry and was adopted in English. It is a short lyric poem that uses a refrain—usually a line or phrase taken from the opening—that recurs at specified points in the poem. The exact stanzaic pattern and rhyme scheme vary among sources, but the form is typically compact, with a limited number of lines and a small set of rhymes. Rondels often express personal reflection or courtly love, and they are tied to the broader family of fixed forms that includes the rondeau and ballade.

In heraldry, a rondel is a round, circular charge placed on a shield. It is depicted as a solid disc and can be rendered in any tincture (color or metal). Rondels are a common, simple charge that may appear alone or in combination with other devices. In this context the term is largely synonymous with the English “roundel,” though rondel is the French-derived term used in many continental heraldic texts.

Beyond poetry and heraldry, the word rondel is sometimes used more generally in art and design to denote a small circular medallion or circular motif. Across its uses, rondel retains a sense of roundness and repetition, echoing the idea of a circular form that recurs in its respective tradition.