bend

heraldry

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 22, 2026

Quick Summary

In heraldry, a bend is a diagonal band on a shield, running from the upper right (dexter chief) to the lower left (sinister base). A bend sinister is similar but runs from the upper left (sinister chief) to the lower right (dexter base). These terms, "dexter" and "sinister," refer to the right and left sides of the shield as if it were being worn. The term "bendy-wavy" describes a shield composed of an even number of wavy bends. The direction of a bend is also referred to as "bendwise".12345

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

6 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

heraldry
Ordinaries
…perpendicularly through the center; the bend, a third of the shield, drawn from the dexter chief to sinister base (when drawn from the dexter base to sinister chief, it is a bend sinister); the fess, a third drawn horizontally and taking up the center of the shield; and the chevron,…
Read More
…perpendicularly through the center; the bend, a third of the shield, drawn from the dexter chief to sinister base (when drawn from the dexter base to sinister chief, it is a bend sinister); the fess, a third drawn horizontally and taking up the center of the shield; and the chevron,…
Read More