In heraldry, divided into a row of squares of alternating colors or metals.
From Old French compone, from company, possibly referring to the 'companioned' or paired squares. This heraldic term has been used since medieval times to describe a specific border pattern.
Medieval knights used the compony pattern on shields and coats of arms, and you can still see it in official heraldry today—it's like a checkerboard badge of nobility that's been recognizable for 800 years!
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