- ABASED
- (adv) A heraldic term for when the main ordinary on a shield, banner of
arms or flag is placed in a lower position than is usual - lowered (see also
‘banner of arms’, ‘enhanced’ and
‘ordinary’).
![[abased example]](../images/v/vxt-d006.gif)
![[abased example]](../images/v/vxt-d006a.gif)
![[abased example]](../images/v/vxt-d006b.gif)
![[abased example]](../images/v/vxt-d006c.gif)
From left: Examples (4); Flag of Olszyna, Poland (Jarig Bakker)
- ABEYANCE
- See ‘in abeyance’.
![[abeyance]](../images/v/vxt-d1914.gif)
Former First Class Commodore’s Broad Pennant, UK (fotw)
- ABOVE
- See ‘ensigned’ and
‘surmounted by 1)’.
![[above]](../images/v/vxt-d1630.gif)
National Arms of Croatia (fotw)
- ABSENCE (or ABSENTEE) PENNANT (or FLAG)
- 1) In widespread naval usage, one of four pennants (the first to the fourth
substitute in the NATO Code of Signals) displayed (from the port or starboard yardarm) in
port when the commanding officer of a ship
or the flag officer or civil official whose flag has been flying in that ship is temporarily
absent from the vessel (see also
'international code of signal flags’,
‘international code of signals’ and
‘substitute’).
- 2) See ‘owner absent flag’.
![[absence example]](../images/v/vxt-d008.gif)
From left: First Substitute (Flag Officer Absent),
Second Substitute (Chief of Staff Absent), Third Substitute (Captain Absent),
Fourth Substitute (Civil/Military Official Absent)
- ACCOLÉ
- See ‘gorged’.
![[accolle example]](../images/v/vxt-d029.gif)
Flag of Elgg, Switzerland
- ACCORNÉ
- See ‘attired’.
![[accorne example]](../images/v/vxt-d031.gif)
![[accorne example]](../images/v/vxt-d033.gif)
Flag of Blížejov, Czech Republic (fotw); Flag of
Gävleborg, Sweden (fotw)
- ACCRETION
- A term sometimes used by textile experts involved in fabric conservation,
and describes the soiling, mildew damage or other defects that occur on the surface
of a flag.
- ACHIEVEMENT (OF ARMS)
- 1) See ‘armorial bearings’.
- 2) All the armorial bearings of a deceased person as displayed at that person’s
funeral – a funeral achievement or hatchment (see also
‘armorial bearings’,
‘badge banner’,
‘bannerole’,
‘coat of arms’,
‘great banner’
and ‘grumphion’).
![[Churchill arms]](../images/v/vxt-d890.gif)
The Achievement of Arms/Armorial Bearings of the Late Sir Winston Churchill, UK
(Churchill Society)
Please note with regard to 2) that if all the armorial bearings of a deceased person are displayed on a
flag they become a great banner, or if less than all a bannerole, both as referenced above.
- ACTION PENNANT
- See ‘paying off pennant’.
- ACTIVE
- In vexillology a term that may be used to describe when the rays
of a star or sun emblem, or a radiating stripe, are shown with undulating or wavy curves – see
‘active and inactive’ below and
‘inactive’
(also ‘radiating’,
‘rays 1)’,
‘star’ and its following note,
‘sunburst’,
‘sun emblem’ and
‘wavy’).
![[active example]](../images/v/vxt-d553.gif)
![[active example]](../images/v/vxt-d1730.gif)
National
Flag of Kyrgyzstan (fotw);
Flag of Pernambuco, Brazil (fotw)
- ACTIVE AND INACTIVE
- In vexillology a term that may be used to describe when the rays of a star or sun
emblem are shown with alternating wavy and straight rays – but see
‘sun-in-splendour’
(also ‘active’ above,
‘inactive’,
‘rays 1)’,
‘star’ and its following note,
‘sunburst’,
‘sun emblem’ and
‘wavy’).
![[Active/Inactive example]](../images/v/vxt-d564.gif)
![[Active/Inactive example]](../images/v/vxt-d2001.gif)
![[Active/Inactive]](../images/v/vxt-d564a.gif)
![[Active/Inactive example]](../images/v/vxt-d2002.gif)
The Sun and Star of May, with the National Flags of
Argentina and Uruguay (fotw)
- ADDITION(S) OF HONOUR (or HONOR)
- See ‘augmentation of honour’.
Arms of Malta 1943 - 1964
- ADDORSED
- 1) See ‘appendix V’.
- 2) The heraldic term also used when two charges are turned outwards - endorsed (see also
‘charge 1)’).
Flag and Arms of Turośń Kościelna, Poland (Jarig Bakker);
Flag of Sugnens, Switzerland (fotw);
Flag and Arms of Kolšov, Czech Republic (fotw);
Flag of Dorneck, Switzerland (fotw)
- ADORNED
- 1) See ‘garnished’.
2) The heraldic term that may be used in place of garnished when a hat, or other
item of clothing is decorated in a different tincture (see also ‘tincture’
and ‘vested’).
Flag of St Blaise, Switzerland (fotw);
Flag of Bargen, Switzerland (fotw)
- ADDRESS GROUP
- In US naval usage and in some others, the group of signal flags displayed by a vessel with
a flag officer or unit commander embarked, and flown (together with a call sign hoist) when
entering or leaving harbour - see
‘call sign hoist’
(also ‘signal flag’ and
‘signal hoist’).
Address Group of the Commander, Second Fleet, US (Sea Flags)
- ADMIRAL'S FLAG
- See ‘flag of command 1)’.
Command Flags of an Admiral and Vice-Admiral, Austria-Hungary 1894 – 1915 (fotw)
- ADMIRALTY CROWN
- An alternative British term for the naval crown - see ‘naval crown’.
Flag of the Sea Scouts, UK (fotw)
- ADMIRALTY FLAG
- 1) Specifically in UK usage see ‘anchor flag’ and its following note
(also ‘fouled anchor’).
2) Generically the flag, usually (but not exclusively) flown ashore, which represents a maritime authority
(see also ‘state ensign 2)’).
Flag of the Admiralty, Brazil (fotw); Flag of the Admiralty; Thailand (fotw);
Flag of the Admiralty 1710 – 1802, Russia (fotw)
- ADMIRALTY WARRANT
- See ‘warrant’ and its following note.
The Channel Islands Yacht Club Ensign Established by Admiralty Warrant
(Graham Bartram)
- ADVANCE THE COLOUR/COLOURS (or COLOR/COLORS)
- (v) A military term originally for moving a flag forward towards an enemy,
and now used on ceremonial occasions as a command to parade the colour(s) forward
(see also ‘colour 2)’,
‘colours 2)’, and
‘parade flag’).
- ADVENT CROSS
- See ‘cross tau’ in ‘appendix VIII’.
Flag of St. Antönien, Switzerland (fotw)
- ADVERTISING BANNER
- See ‘banner 4)’.
![[advertising banner]](../images/v/vxt-d577.gif)
- ADVERTISING PULLDOWN (or PULL-DOWN)
- See ‘pulldown’.
- AFFRONTANT (or AFFRONTÉ)
- See ‘respectant’ in ‘appendix V’.
![[affrontant example]](../images/v/vxt-d554.gif)
Flag of Marrum/Westernijkerk, The Netherlands (fotw)
- AFFRONTY
- 1) See ‘appendix V’.
- 2) The heraldic term also used when a charge, such as a helmet, house or ship, is shown with
its front towards the observer.
Flag of Hersberg, Switzerland (fotw); Flag of Oberönz, Switzerland
With regard to 1) please note this term is not to be confused with affrontant
– see ‘respectant’ and its following note in ‘appendix V’.
- AFLAME
- A term sometimes (incorrectly) used in place of the heraldic term inflamed or its alternatives – see
‘inflamed’.
![[aflame example]](../images/v/vxt-d1323.gif)
![[aflame example]](../images/v/vxt-d1323a.gif)
Arms and Flag of Vimeiro, Portugal (Sergio Horta)
- AFRO-AMERICAN FLAG (or COLOURS)
- See ‘Garvey colours’.
Marcus Garvey’s Flag 1917 (fotw); An Afro-American Flag (Tomislav Todorovic)
- AGNUS DEI
- A Latin term meaning the Lamb of God - this is sometimes shown with a halo or nimbus around its head, but always holding
a crossed staff or crosier (and often decorated with a flag or banner) – the Holy Lamb or Lamb of God
(see also ‘nimbus’).
Flag of Kunovice, Czech Republic (fotw); Flag of Gotland, Sweden (fotw);
Arms and flag of Preston, UK (fotw); Arms and Flag of Knin, Croatia (fotw)
- AIGUILLETTE
- Loops of ornamental braided cord with tassels, and worn from the right or left shoulder
of (usually but not invariably) military uniforms to signify a special status or service –
see ‘flag adjutant’
(also ‘cord(s)’
‘dress knot’) and
‘lanyard 1)’)
Officers of the Household Cavalry, UK (Wikipedia)
- AIR FORCE (or AIRFORCE) FLAG (or ENSIGN)
- See ‘branch of service flag’
(also ‘armed services flag’ and
‘ensign 2)’).
Air Force Flag, Belarus (fotw);
Air Force Ensign, UK (fotw);
Air Force Flag, US (fotw)
- AIR MAIL (or AIRMAIL) FLAG (or PENNANT)
- A flag or pennant, now obsolete, originally designed to fly (sometimes alongside a civil air ensign)
from an aircraft carrying mail (see also ‘postal flag’ and
‘civil air ensign’)
US Air mail Flag (Joe Macmillan); Royal Air Mail Pennant, UK (fotw)
- AIRCRAFT INSIGNIA
- 1) Specifically in US military usage, the term that refers to markings of
identification on the tail plane/fin of primarily (but not exclusively)
military aircraft (see also
‘roundel 1)’).
2) Generically see ‘aircraft marking(s) 1)’.
Please note with regard to 1), that US military aircraft have not carried a fin
flash - an emblem of national identity - on their tail planes since 1942 –
see ‘fin flash’
- AIRCRAFT MARKING(S)
- In UK and some other usage, a collective term for the markings of nationality and
identification on the wings, fuselage and tail plane/fin of primarily (but not exclusively)
military aircraft – but see ‘fin flash’
and ‘roundel 1)’ (also
‘aircraft insignia’ above,
‘fuselage markings 1)’ and
‘wing marking(s) 1))’).
Roundel and Fin Flash for Combat Aircraft, UK; Roundel and Fin Flash, France c1917;
Roundel and Fin Flash, Dominican Republic (fotw)
- AIRFIELD (or AIRPORT) SAFETY (or AIRFIELD/AIRPORT CONSTRUCTION) FLAG
- In largely US usage the square, orange and white-checkered safety flag mandated by the
US Federal Aviation Administration for the marking of construction vehicles and jobsite
obstructions/hazards at airports. (see also ‘checky’).
- AIR RECOGNITION DEVICE(S)
- See ‘fin flash’ and ‘roundel 1)’
(also ‘aircraft marking(s)’).
Roundel and Fin flash, Greece (fotw)
