Etymology

coat of arms

Today it means: Hereditary designs and symbols depicted on an escutcheon, sometimes accompanied by other elements of a heraldic achievement, such as a helm, crest, crest coronet, torse, mantling and supporters; described by a blazon. Full definition →

Middle English cote of armes ← Old French cote a armer
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The story

  1. Old French · derived fromcote a armer
  2. Middle English · inherited fromcote of armes
  3. English todaycoat of arms

From Middle English cote of armes, from Old French cote a armer, cote d'armes, originally a tunic embroidered with heraldic arms.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.