Forms: 5 (Caxton) armoirie, -oyrye, 56 -orye, -orie, 6 -ery, 5 armory, 6 armoury. [a. OF. armoierie, armoirie, f. armoier, or armoieor, -oyeur, a blazoner, f. armoier, -oyer, to blazon = It. armeggiāre, a Romanic vb. f. arma arms. See also ARMOURY.]
1. The science of blazoning arms, heraldry.
1489. Caxton, Faytes of Armes, IV. xvii. Of the armoirie White that men calle in armoyrye siluer Blak that men calle in armoyrie sable.
1586. J. Hooker, Girald. Irel., ii. in Holinsh., II. 152. In histories and armories.
1611. Guillim, Heraldry, I. i. 5. Armory is an Art rightly prescribing the true knowledge and use of Armes.
1651. J. C., Poems, 9. Mettal on Mettal is ill Armorie.
1662. J. Bargrave, Pope Alex. VII. (1867), 128. The king learned armory, geography, and history.
1868. Cussans, Handbk. Her., i. 21. Anterior to the period in which a system of Armory was established.
2. Armorial bearings, arms. arch.
a. 1500. Agincourt, 120, in Hazl., E. P. P., II. 98. Full well broydered with armory gaye.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, 224. The Lion being her owne noble armory.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. xi. (1632), 672. Knights, Esquiers, and men of Armories.
1628. Coke, On Litt., 7 b. He first quartered the French Armories with the English in his great Seale.
1868. Morris, Earthly Par., II. 167. Some great mans badge of war, or armoury.
† 3. Ensigns of war; colors. Obs.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. clx. 194. Great nobles of fayre harnesse and riche armory of baners and penons. Ibid., ccxxxvii. 338. The baners and penons, and ye noble armery.