bezant
/ˈbɛz(ə)nt
/noun
1 historical A gold or silver coin originally minted at Byzantium.But the success of the past two seasons mean that the standard emblazoned with four bezants or gold coins, to symbolise both wealth and wheels of a car is apt....
- The Byzantine society functioned very successfully economically for a thousand years using the pure bezant gold coin.
- Al-Kamil sent back a second time, adding 30,000 bezants cash to compensate for the two castles, but again the offer was rejected.
2 Heraldry A roundel or (i.e. a solid gold circle).At the end the bezant has a designed belt in a shape of 2 interlaced birch branches with leaves and garden-stuff. The shield is decorated with a crown with 3 pinks....
- The bezant or gold roundel is one of the three of St. Nicholas, to whom the first church in Norton was dedicated.
- In the middle of this aisle, on a raised tomb, is a cross-legged mail, and a pointed helmet of the same, his head reclined on a double cushion to the right, his hands elevated; on his shield a bend between six crosses botone, charged with only one bezant.
Origin
Middle English: from Old French besant, from Latin Byzantius 'Byzantine'. sense 2 dates from the late 15th century.