I. ˈtabə(r)d noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French tabart
1. : a tunic with or without short sleeves worn by a knight over his armor and emblazoned with his arms
2.
a. : the official cape or coat of a herald made with or without short sleeves and emblazoned with his lord's arm
b. : the official surcoat of an officer of arms emblazoned with the royal arms
dressed as heralds, with tabard and trumpet, looking for all the world like the knaves in a pack of cards — Victoria Sackville-West
3. : a rectangular silk pendant bearing special emblems and attached to the bugles or trumpets of a military organization
II. noun
: a woman's sleeveless outer garment often with side slits