In heraldry, an alternating pattern of fur that reverses the typical vair arrangement, creating a contrasting bell-shaped design.
From Middle English 'counter-' (against, opposite) combined with 'vair,' a heraldic fur pattern from Old French 'vair' meaning spotted fur. The prefix reverses the traditional color sequence of the vair pattern.
Medieval heralds created countervair as a visual puzzle—it's the heraldic equivalent of a negative photograph, and nobles used it to signal family alliances or indicate cadet branches of great houses.
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