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Dictionary of Vexillology: V (Vailing – Veteran's Flag)

Last modified: 2026-06-13 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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VAILING
When the finial on the staff of military colour or parade flag is allowed to touch – or nearly touch – the ground whilst being lowered in salute – but see trailing 1) (also dipping 1)).

VAIR (VAIRE or VAIRY)
The alternative heraldic terms for a fur (reputedly the winter coat of a squirrel), which is usually (but not invariably) shown as a series of blue shield- or bell-like shapes on a white or silver field – see urdy (also ermine, potent 1), "vair ancient" (below), "vair bellies" (below)).

Vair Vair Vair
Flag of Veiros, Portugal; Flag of Prahins, Switzerland; Flag of Pratânia, Brazil

VAIR ANCIENT
The heraldic term for a rarely seen older version of the above fur – see "vair" (above) and ancient.

Vair ancient
Arms of Albeck, Austria (showing the European variant) (Wikimedia)

VAIR BELLIES
In German heraldry a rarely seen fur (reputedly the summer coat on a red squirrel's belly) usually (but not invariably) seen as brown and hairy – Kürsch (see also ermine, potent 1), "vair" [above], "vair ancient" [above]).


Flag of Bregenz, Austria

VAIR MOULDING
In heraldry see urdy.

[urdy example]
Flag of Skaun, Norway

VAMBRACED
The heraldic term used when an arm only is shown clad in armour – but see harnysed (also armoured, embowed).

Běhařov Etzelkofen Southern Finland
Flag of Běhařov, Czechia; Flag of Etzelkofen, Switzerland; Flag of Southern Finland province, Finland

Please note that the “vambrace” was a piece of armour which protected the forearm.

VANE
1) The term for a short, triangular pennant now obsolete, sometimes stiffened with a frame (often plain red) and formerly flown from the mastheads of sailing merchant vessels in place of a masthead pennant, or sometimes to identify individual ships when travelling in convoy (see also frame 2), masthead pennant 1))  see supplemental note.
2) See distinguishing vane.
3) A length of bunting (or other light material) extended on a wooden stock and fixed in the shrouds of a yacht or small sailing vessel to indicate wind direction – a wind vane.
4) A small metal flag-like object; generally set on a rod on the top of a building – a wind or weather vane.
5) A pre-heraldic vexilloid in the form of a decorative metal plaque mounted onboard ship by the Vikings.

Notes
a) It has been suggested that the word “vane” was a southern English dialect corruption of the Medieval term “fane” – see fane 1)).
b) The term vane (or van) in heraldry can also refer to a ‘winnowing basket’ or scruttle/shruttle/fruttle/fan.

VANNALUM
A medieval term, now obsolete, for a small flag or vane – see vane 1).

VANNERIA
A medieval term, now obsolete, for a banner.

VARIANT
1) A flag that shows comparatively minor differences (either official or unofficial) from some standard model, and one example would be the variously differenced standards of the British Royal Family (see also difference 1, cadency, mark of, label 2)).
2) A term that may be applied when describing a flag which differs from others of the same basic design, but for which no official specifications are known (see also de facto, de jure and following notes).
3) See template flag.

India India India
National Flag of India with two other variants of the chakra

VEHICULAR (or VEHICLE) FLAG/PENNANT
See car flag and fanion 2).

convoy flag convoy flag convoy flag
Car/Vehicular Flag and Standard of the Reich President 1933–1935, Germany; Flanked by two Vehicular Flags/Fanions According to NATO Regulations

VEINED
In Continental European blazoning, the term sometimes used to describe the detailing of a charge instead of the correct English heraldic equivalent of garnished (see also blazon).

veined veined veined
Flag and Arms of Larinho, Portugal; Flag of Figueiredo, Portugal

VENETIAN ENTASIS TAPER
A distinctive design invented in Venice that gives an aesthetically pleasing, convex taper to a tall flag pole, and now one of the most common form used – but see cone tapered.

VENN
A term (sometimes further divided into Venn A and Venn B) employed for the detailed classification of 17th century English military colours, with particular regard to their use within a regiment (see also colour 2), colours 2), company colours, device 2), stand of colours1)).

[venn example] [venn example] [venn example] [venn example] [venn example] [venn example]
Venn A – Stand of Six Colours (Colonel, Lt Col, Major, First – Third Captain), Westminster Liberty Regiment, London. England c1641

[venn example] [venn example] [venn example] [venn example] [venn example] [venn example]
Venn B – Stand of Six Colours (Colonel, Lt Col, Major, First – Third Captain), Blew Trayned Band, London, England c1641 (CS)

Notes:
a) The above system of classification only applies to English colours, and is taken from those illustrated by Captain Thomas Venn in his book Military Observations (or the Tacticke Put Into Practice) of 1672.
b) There were a number of variations not originally covered by this classification, and that further, more comprehensive methods have been recently proposed.

VERGETTE
An alternative heraldic term to paly.

[vergette]
Flag of Ueberstorf, Switzerland

VERT
A heraldic term for the colour green – see tinctures (also rule of tincture).

[colour example]

VERTICAL BICOLOUR
See bicolour 1) and bicolour 2)

vertical bicolour vertical bicolour
National Flags of Haiti 1805 and 1964–1986

VERTICAL FLAG
See banner 2) and hanging flag with their following notes (also gonfalon and vertically hoisted flag).

Wolfsburg vertical flag Aschaffenburg
Vertical Flags/Banners of Wolfsburg and Aspach, Germany; Hanging Flag of Aschaffenburg, Germany

VERTICAL MERIDIAN (or MEDIAN)
See meridian.

meridian

VERTICAL MULTI-STRIPE
See multi-stripe.

Algeria
Flag of Duchcov, Czechia

VERTICAL PENNANT
1) Generically, any pennant designed to be hung vertically (see also pennant 2)).
2) Specifically see club pennant.

vertical pennant vertical pennant
Pennant of the Kanu-Gemeinschaft Eiderstedt e.V.; Pennant of the Rasen- und Wassersportverein Essen-Werden, Germany

VERTICAL STRIPES IN HERALDRY
See pale and pallet.

Vertical stripes Vertical stripes
Flag of Hoogstraten, Belgium; Flag of Commugny, Switzerland

VERTICAL TRIBAND
See triband 1) and triband 2).

Vertical triband Vertical triband
Flag of Lindern, Germany; National flag of Nigeria

VERTICAL TRICOLOUR
See tricolour 1) and tricolour 2).

Moldova Romania
National flag of Moldova; National flag of Romania

VERTICALLY HOISTED FLAG
1) In German speaking, Central European and some other usage, a term that may be applied to any long, vertically orientated flag, but which (unlike a banner or hanging flag as defined herein) is hoisted along its upright (rather than topmost) edge – a flapping flag (see also banner 2), hoisted flag, outrigger flag, rotated).
2) See banner 2).

Sankt Wolfgang, Germany
Vertically Hoisted Flag of Sankt Wolfgang, Germany

Please note with regard to 1) that this use of the term has been introduced by the Editors as no existing established term could be found, however, in German language vexillology the terms hochflagge, hochformatflagge, hochformatfahne, knatterflagge or knatterfahne (or their plurals flaggen and fahnen) are variously used.

VESSEL FLAG (or PENNANT)
In US army usage, now increasingly obsolete, a term for the special flag or pennant of an army unit, or of a type of command, flown by that unit or commander only when operating aboard a vessel – but see boat flag 2) and note below.

[US Army oridinace corps] [US Army Transportation Corps]
Army Ordinance Corps, US; Army Transportation Corps, US

Please note that as far as is known the vessel flag of the US army transportation corps is still in current use, and that the vessel flag of the US corps of engineers is now also authorized to be flown on land at their facilities which are not located on Army installations.

VESTED
The heraldic term that is properly employed to describe the vestments of a bishop, archbishop or prince of the Church, but which is sometimes used to describe the garb of a saint, or the habit of a monk/friar – but see habited (also adorned 2), clad and mantled 2)).

vested vested vested
Flag of Baarle-Hertog, Belgium; Flag of Damvant, Switzerland; Flag of Nová Ves, Czechia

VETERAN’S (or VETERAN’S ASSOCIATION) FLAG (or STANDARD)
The flag of an organization representing the veterans of a particular, service, war, campaign, or unit. The flags of veteran’s organizations are often mounted, trimmed and treated like a military colour (see also parade flag 2) and colour 2)).

[Royal British Legion] Royal Naval Association, UK Korean Veterans Association, UK
Flag of the Royal British Legion, UK; Flag of The Royal Naval Association, UK; Standard of the Korean Veterans Association, UK (all Graham Bartram)

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