[ 'hα:bɪn(d)ʒə ]
■ noun a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of something.
Origin
ME (orig. 'a person who provides or goes ahead to find lodging', later 'a herald'): from OFr. herbergere , from herbergier 'provide lodging for', from herberge 'lodging', from Old Saxon heriberga 'shelter for an army, lodging'.