bezant

[ bez-uh nt, bih-zant ]
/ ˈbɛz ənt, bɪˈzænt /

noun

Also bezzant. the gold solidus of the Byzantine Empire, widely circulated in the Middle Ages.
Also byzant. (in Romanesque architecture) any of a number of disklike ornaments, similar in form to the classical patera, used especially on the faces of archivolts.
Also besant.

Origin of bezant

1150–1200; Middle English besant < Old French < Latin byzantius ( nummus) Byzantine (coin)

Example sentences from the Web for bezant

British Dictionary definitions for bezant

bezant

bezzant byzant

/ (ˈbɛzənt, bɪˈzænt) /

noun

a medieval Byzantine gold coin
architect an ornament in the form of a flat disc
heraldry a small gold circle

Word Origin for bezant

C13: from Old French besant, from Medieval Latin Bӯzantius Byzantine (coin)