Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Standing on four feet: Used in heraldry to describe the posture of an animal, especially a quadruped, depicted as standing with all four feet on the ground, typically with the right forefoot slightly raised.

Usage

• The word statant is a specialized term used almost exclusively in the field of heraldry (the system of designing and describing coats of arms). It describes the specific, formal posture of an animal in a heraldic emblem.
• It is used attributively, typically before the noun it modifies (e.g., "a lion statant").

Examples

• Adjective:
  • The family crest features a statant lion guardant. (The family crest shows a lion standing on all fours and facing the observer.)
  • In the manuscript, the beast is blazoned as a wolf statant. (In the heraldic description, the animal is officially described as a wolf standing.)

Advanced Usage

• "Statant guardant": Standing on four feet and facing the observer.
  • The shield was emblazoned with a tiger statant guardant.
• "Statant reguardant": Standing on four feet and looking backward over its shoulder.
  • The unusual charge was a fox statant reguardant.

Variants and Related Words

• Couchant (adj): In heraldry, lying down with the head raised.
• Rampant (adj): In heraldry, rearing up on the left hind leg.
• Passant (adj): In heraldry, walking, with the right forefoot raised.
• Sejant (adj): In heraldry, sitting.

Synonyms

• Standing (general term, not heraldic)
• On all fours (descriptive phrase)

Antonyms

• Rampant (rearing up)
• Couchant (lying down)
• Passant (walking)

Adjective

1. standing on four feet