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H/Herald
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Visual memory aid for Herald

Herald

To announce or publicize; to foretell; to proclaim

verb
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Imagine This

Ronald is a king and he is announcing to his country that he is getting white hair, which means he is getting old, so someone must take over his position as king soon. After World War II, U.S. President Truman announced and honored the names of the heroes in the Allied Forces who had fought bravely for victory.

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Sounds Like

Hair_old; Hero

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Looks Like

Looks like hero with an extra ald at the end

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Remember This

Herald originally referred to a royal messenger. In modern usage, it also means a sign or indicator of what is to come (as in 'a herald of spring').

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Other Forms

heraldnoun
heraldsnoun
heraldedverb
heraldingverb
heraldsverb
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Connect With

announcer, proclaim, proclaimer, harbinger, forerunner, precursor

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Note

As a verb, herald means to announce or proclaim; as a noun, it refers to a person who proclaims or to something that signals a future event. Do not confuse with heraldry (the study of coats of arms), though the words share historical roots.

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Study Deeper

Examples
  • The town crier will herald the king's arrival.
  • A red flag can herald the start of a storm.
Synonyms
proclaimerannouncerharbingerforerunnerprecursor
Antonyms
concealobscurewithhold
Etymology

From Old French heraut (crier, messenger), from Germanic roots related to 'army' (here) and 'ruler' (wald), expressing the role of a messenger who proclaims.

Mnemonic

Hear A Loud: remember that a herald is someone who proclaims something loudly.