fess

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

fess, n. [OF. fesse, faisse, F. fasce, fr. L. fascia band. See Fascia.].

 A band drawn horizontally across the center of an escutcheon, and containing in breadth the third part of it; one of the nine honorable ordinaries.  [1913 Webster]

Fess point (Her.), the exact center of the escutcheon. See Escutcheon.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

fess, n. (also fesse) Heraldry a horizontal stripe across the middle of a shield.

Idiom

fess point a point at the centre of a shield. in fess arranged horizontally.

Etymology

ME f. OF f. L fascia band