herald

plural heralds

1. A messenger, especially one bringing important news.

   The herald blew his trumpet and shouted that the King was dead.

   Synonyms: bode

2. A harbinger, giving signs of things to come.

   Daffodils and robins are heralds of Spring.

3. governmentAn official whose speciality is heraldry, especially one between the ranks of pursuivant and king-of-arms

   Rouge Dragon is a herald at the College of Arms.

   Synonyms: pursuivant

4. biologyA moth of the species Scoliopteryx libatrix.
5. advertisingA handbill consisting of an advertisement.

   1 more example

   New this season will be a 20-sheet poster depicting 21 K-M elephants parading to local Chevrolet agencies. Deal calls for use of the 20-sheet on poster panels where the auto agency has space allotment. Smaller versions of the same art also will be used. Circulation of Kelly-Miller heralds, which last season averaged between 5,000 and 6,000 copies per stand, will be in for one of the greatest boosts this year.

   1951 February 24, Billboard, page 52

present singular third person heralds · participle present heralding · participle past heralded · past heralded

1. figurativelyoftentransitiveTo proclaim or announce an event.

   Daffodils herald the Spring.

   2 more examples

   Then, some five miles north of Bolna, the entry into the Arctic is heralded by a long blast on the whistle of the engine. The Arctic Circle is marked by a sign on the east side of the line.

   1957 August 28, H. A. Vallance, “By Rail to the Norwegian Arctic”, in Railway Magazine, page 574

   Our arrival at Worcester is heralded by the appearance of the city's cathedral tower, a solid square structure that's dominated the skyline since the 12th century.

   2020 December 2, Paul Bigland, “My weirdest and wackiest Rover yet”, in Rail, page 67

   Synonyms: disclose, make known, announce, forerun, blare, declare, disclose, impart

2. passivetransitiveusuallyTo greet something with excitement; to hail.

   The film was heralded by critics.

plural heralds

1. alternativeAlternative form of hareld (“long-tailed duck”).

plural Heralds

1. A surname.
2. A census-designated place in Sacramento County, California, United States.