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Glossary of Flag Terms

See also:

Vexillological Terminology

by Željko Heimer, 21 May 1996, based on image from WBE

Here is a table partly from World Book Encyclopedia, Vol. F, Flag, p. 193, written by W. Smith, named Flag terms, augmented by contributions from numerous members of the Flags of the World mailing list.

Badge

- see charge

Banner

1. A flag-like cloth draped or stretched between two anchor points, usually bearing a slogan.

2. A flag with heraldic arms placed on it overall (in other words, not in a small shield shape). Often called a heraldic banner. The U.S. state of Maryland is an example.

3. Poetically, any flag carried by a military force.

Battle flag

is carried by armed forces on land.

Battle streamer,

attached to the flag of a military unit, names battles or campaigns where the unit served with distinction.

Bend on

means to attach signal flag to a halyard.

Bicolor

a flag of two colors, usually in equal fields. Bicolors are generally horizontal (such as Ukraine or San Marino) or vertical (such as Malta or the Vatican). The colors are listed top or hoist first (e.g., blue-yellow, for Ukraine).

Bordering

a mostly obsolete practice of edging a flag in a different color than the field, either for decorative purposes or to prevent fraying.

Breadth

a British measurement for flags, is 9" (23 cm) wide. A four breath-flag is 36" (91 cm) wide. The term originated when flag cloth was made in 9" strips.

Breaking

A flag is "broken" when it is hoisted wrapped in a bundle, then broken open to fly free when it is already at the top of the mast or pole. The bundle is made by folding or rolling the flag tightly, then wrapping it with a thin string tied to the lower halyard. When the halyard is tugged sharply, the string breaks allowing the flag to fly. Joe McMillan

Bunting

is cloth decorated with the national colors. The term is also used for the woolen cloth used in making flags.

Burgee

is a tapered flag or pennant, often used by a sailing club, that ends in a swallowtail of two points.

Canadian pale

a pale in the shape of a square, as used on the Canadian flag.

Canton

is the upper corner of a flag next to the staff where a special design, such as a union, appears.

Charge

- an emblem, object, device, or design superimposed on the field(s) of a flag. A coat of arms or simple heraldic device used as a charge is sometimes called a badge.

Civil Flag

The official (or unofficial) flag of the country used by the people, perhaps public flag would be clearer. As opposed to the state flag reserved for the government or the military. A civil ensign is a flag used at sea by private (or any non-government) ships - Nathan Augustine, 1996-09-27.

Color

1. in heraldry, any hue which is not a metal.

2. a flag carried by a military unit as a unit or national identification. Military forces of English-speaking countries often carry a pair of colors, one national or royal and the other of the unit itself. As distinguished from a standard, a color is used by foot units.

French - drapeau
Spanish - bandera (de regimiento)
German - Fahne or Truppenfahne
Italian - bandiera
Russian - znamya
Danish - fane
Dutch - vaandel (Netherlands), vlag (Belgium)
Swedish - segerfanan
Romanian - drapelul de lupta

Commission Pennant (also known as Masthead Pennant, Commissioning Pennant).

a very long and narrow pennant flown from the main mast of a naval vessel, used to indicate the public character of a ship, also called a commissioning pennant, masthead pennant, narrow pennant, coach whip pennant.

French - flamme de guerre
Spanish - gallardete
Russian - vympel
Portuguese - flămula

Cornet

somewhat similar to a cavalry guidon or standard, i.e. a small perhaps swallow-tailed flag. "Cornet" was an 18th-century junior cavalry officer's rank, e.g. in the Russian Army; the cornet bore the regimental standard. In like manner, the infantry rank of "ensign" applied to the junior officer who carried the regimental colors. Tom Gregg, 6 August 1997

a) a term prevalent in the 17-18thC for small swallow-tailed flags; b) alternative to GUIDON as a term for the standard of a cavalry regiment; c) Cavalry officer responsible for the standard - from a report entitled "The Dictionary of Flag Terminology", by William Crampton, Convenor; David Lister; Louis Loynes; and Miss P.M. Moyce, submitted to the Flag Section of the Heraldry Society of Great Britain (later to become the Flag Institute).

Courtesy flag

is the national flag of the country a merchant ship or yacht visits, hoisted as the ship enters port.

Cross barby

A cross terminating in arrowpoints.

Defacing

differencing a flag by adding something to it, such as a charge, a badge, or writing. Used especially on colonial flags. Note that this term does not have the usual meaning of "vandalizing" when used in vexillology.

Device

is an emblem or design, usually on the fly.

Differencing

the design of a flag as a variation of another flag, either by chan