CRESCENT, in heraldry, a bearing in form of a new moon. See Plate LXV. fig. 10.
It is used either as an honourable bearing, or as the difference to distinguish between elder and younger families; this being generally assigned to the second son, and those that descend from him. The figure of the crescent is the Turkish symbol, with its points looking towards the top of the chief, which is its most ordinary representation, called crescent montant. Crescents are said to be adossed, when their backs are turned towards each other; a crescent is said to be inverted, when
when its points look towards the bottom; turned crescents have their points looking to the dexter side of the shield; cornuted crescents, to the sinister side; and affronted crescents, contrary to the adossed, have their points turned to each other.