The upper third part of the field. It is supposed to be composed of the dexter, sinister, and middle chiefs.
The upper part of a FIELD; AN ORDINARY occupying the upper part ( approx. one third ) of a FIELD. ( See also IN CHIEF ).
n. a horizontal stripe covering the top edge of the shield (a chief gules). n. the upper portion of the shield (in chief, to chief).
term adopted from heraldry; the upper half of a flag.
The top portion of a SHIELD or a FLAG.
a horizontal stripe along the top edge of the shield
The upper one third of the shield
The chief is the top third of the shield of a coat-of-arms.
Horizontal stripe on upper third of a shield
A chief is a term used in heraldic blazon to describe a charge on a coat of arms that takes the form of a band running horizontally across the top edge of the shield. Writers disagree in how much of the shield's surface is to be covered by the chief, ranging from one-fourth to one-third. The former is more likely if the chief is uncharged, that is, if it does not have other objects placed on it.