A male deer, especially a male red deer over five years old; historically a prized animal in hunting and heraldry.
From Old English 'heorot' or 'hart,' related to German 'Hirsch.' The word has been used since at least the 8th century and refers specifically to male deer, with 'doe' referring to females. The word appears frequently in medieval literature and heraldry.
Harts were so important to medieval nobility that hunting them was restricted by law—only aristocrats could hunt them, and poaching a hart could result in severe punishment. In heraldry, a hart symbolized nobility and grace, which is why it appears on countless coats of arms!
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