REBUS

Rebus

A rebus is an allusional device that uses pictures to represent words or parts of words. It was a favourite form of heraldic expression used in the Middle Ages to denote surnames, for example in its basic form three salmon fish to denote the name "Salmon". A more sophisticated example was the rebus of Bishop Walter Lyhart of Norwich, consisting of a stag lying down in a conventional representation of water. The composition alludes to the name, profession or personal characteristics of the bearer, and speaks to the beholder Non verbis, sed rebus, which Latin expression signifies "not by words but by things" .

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rebus

Noun

  1. A kind of word puzzle which uses pictures to represent words or parts of words.
  2. A pictorial suggestion on a coat of arms of the name of the person to whom it belongs.

Verb

  1. To mark or indicate by a rebus.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: rebus
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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