Meaning

noun (formal) a person who announces important news

noun something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone

verb foreshadow or presage

originFrom Latin heraldus, from Middle English herald, herauld, heraud, from Anglo-Norman heraud, from Old French heraut, hiraut (modern French héraut), from Frankish *heriwald, from Proto-Germanic *harjawaldaz, a compound consisting of Proto-Indo-European *ker- (“army”) + *h₂welh₁- (“to be strong”). Doublet of Harold and Harald; compare Walter, which has these elements reversed.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0