Divided into four alternating sections or quarters in opposite arrangement, especially in heraldry where two coats of arms are positioned inversely.
From counter- (against, opposite) + quartered (divided into four parts), derived from Old French quart (fourth). In heraldry, this describes a specific arrangement dating to medieval times.
In medieval heraldry, counterquartered designs were a clever way to show marriages between noble families—by splitting a shield into quarters with alternating family symbols, heralds could visually prove lineage and family alliances at a glance.
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