A basic geometric CHARGE, e.g. PALE, BEND, BEND SINISTER, FESS, CHEVRON, CROSS, CHIEF, BORDURE, SALTIRE, BASE, CANTON, etc.
Basic heraldic charges used in simple heraldry--the bend, chevron, chief, fess, pale, pile and saltire.
(heraldry) any of several conventional figures used on shields
a charge or bearing of simple form
a charge that consists of one or more strips of some tincture which cover large areas of the shield
a reference book which lists shields of arms by the charges they contain, which obviously helps identify an unknown shield
a major heraldic charge. Opinions differ as to the number of these charges but most authorities include the bend, bend sinister, chevron, chief, cross, fess, pale, pile and saltire.
An ordinary is one of a group of very common charges on a shield, most of which are composed of one or more stripes in various places or directions. There doesn't seem to be any absolute rule as to what is an ordinary and what is a sub-ordinary, but a typical list would include: Fess, Bend, Pale, Cross, Saltire, Chief, Chevron, Pall, Border, and probably one or more of: Lozenge, Quarter, Gyron, and Canton.
a major heraldic charge. These may be placed between other charges or may themselves be charged. See illustration for examples.
In heraldry, an ordinary is a simple geometrical figure on the arms, wider than a line or division of the field. There are also some geometric charges known as subordinaries, which are given lesser status by heraldic writers, even though most have been in use just as long as the traditional ordinaries. Diminutives of ordinaries are charges of the same shape, though narrower, though some such charges are not defined as diminutives of the larger charge(s).