the new moon, which as it begins to recede from the sun, shows a little rim of light, terminating in points or horns, which are still increasing till it become full and round in the opposition. The word is formed from crefo, "I grow."
The term is also used for the same figure of the moon in its wane or decrease, but improperly; because the points or horns are then turned towards the west, whereas they look to the east in the just crescent.
in Heraldry, is a bearing in form of a half moon. The Ottomans bear sinople, a crescent montant, argent. The crescent is frequently used as a difference in coat armour, to distinguish it for that of a second brother or junior family.
The figure of the crescent is the Turkish symbol; or rather is that of the city Byzantium, which bore this device from all antiquity; as appears from medals struck in honour of Augustus, Trajan, &c.
The crescent is sometimes montant, i.e., its points look towards the top of the chief, which is its most ordinary representation; whence some contend, that the crescent, absolutely so called, implies that situation; though others authors blazon it montant, when the horns are towards the dexter side of the escutcheon, in which position others call it incroissant.
Crescents are said to be adoffed, when their backs or thickest parts are turned towards each other; their points looking to the sides of the shield. Crescent inverted, is that whose points look towards the bottom; turned crescents are placed like those adoffed; the difference is, that all their points look to the dexter side of the shield: contoured crescents, on the contrary, look to the sinister side: affronted or appointed crescents, are contrary to the adoffed, the points looking towards each other.
CRESCENT is also the name of a military order, instituted by Renatus of Anjou, king of Sicily, &c. in 1448; so called from the badge or symbol thereof, a crescent of gold enamelled. What gave occasion to this establishment was, that Renatus took for his device a crescent, with the word lox, "praise," which, in the style of rebus, makes lox in crescent, q.d. by advancing in virtue, one merits praise.