Home › Glossary › Letter C

Compony

Heraldic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

In heraldry, a decorative border composed of alternating squares or rectangles of contrasting tinctures, sometimes referenced in emblematic poetry.

Detailed Definition
Compony denotes variety and unity through its pattern. In poetic use, it can symbolize diversity within harmony, or fractured yet connected elements within a narrative.
Example
Example in poetry:
The bordure compony of argent and gules beat like a heraldic heart; “Compony days and nights,” the verse described life’s alternating rhythms; His scarf, compony in the family colours, marked him as kin to the cause; The bridge, compony in stone and wood, joined past to future in patterned strength.
Additional Notes
Compony (or componée) describes a bordure or ordinary divided into alternating segments of two tinctures; it often signifies alliance through marriage or feudal obligation; in verse, compony patterns can represent partnership, duality, or segmented identity; it is commonly seen on crosses or borders in medieval arms.
Also Known As
Componée Gobony
Skip to main content