Abatement (heraldry)

Abatement is a fancy word in the world of heraldry which means that something has been marked with a symbol indicating that it has been lowered in status or reduced in achievement.

Think of it this way - imagine you have a medal that you won for being the best at something (let's say running). Now, if you did something bad or broke the rules, you may lose your medal as a punishment. This loss of your medal would be an example of abatement.

In heraldry, an abatement is usually a small symbol added to a coat of arms to show that the person who bears it has done something bad or lost their status in some way. For example, it could be added to show that they committed a crime or were dishonorable in battle. The symbol is usually simple and easily recognizable, like a black mark, a cross or an X.

Abatement is a way of showing that a person's reputation has been tarnished or damaged, and it serves as a warning that their achievements are not as great as they once were. In this way, abatement plays an important role in the world of heraldry, reminding people that actions have consequences and that honor and respect must be earned and maintained.