- mâcle

macle/mâcle 1. mascle. The lozenge is the familiar shape of the diamond in a pack of cards. Occasionally, there is the «lozenge throughout», which occurs when each of the points touch the edges of the shield. The French look upon this from the reverse point of view, and consider the lozenge as the field, draped with a charge which forms the lozenge shape: the French blazon is «vêtu en losange»; v. also the group of terms to be found under the entry on chapé. The fusil is longer and narrower than the lozenge. Confusion may arise when more than one lozenge is drawn in is the shape of a fusil in order to accommodate them on the shield. In practice, the terms are interchangeable. The mascle is a lozenge voided, and the rustre, which is quite rare, is a lozenge pierced with a circle. Where the blazon is clear there is no problem; when I have used drawings as a basis for the blazon, I have used whichever charge I have thought appropriate. The word is probably derived from Lat. macula, meaning a spot or blemish. From the appearance of certain spotted animals, the word came to be used for a net. From this comes Fr. maille, as in cotte de mailles, coat of mail. The Eng. meaning is mail or stitch. Many instances of the use of mascles do not, however, show them conjoined. The correct spelling is mâcle, although macle is often seen. 2. macle, twin crystal (geol); found only once. The word has the same derivation as the more common heraldic term, and is depicted as a lozenge on the shield. FRGL