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Dictionary of Vexillology: A (Abased - Azure)

Last modified: 2006-09-30 by phil nelson
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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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 (see also ‘bend sinister’ in ‘Appendix VI’, ‘enhanced’ and ‘ordinary’).

[Lesotho - abased example]
National Flag of Lesotho (fotw)

ABSENCE (or ABSENTEE) PENNANT (or FLAG)
1) In widespread naval usage, one of four pennants (the first to the fourth substitute in the ICS) displayed in port when the commanding officer of a ship or the flag officer or civil official whose flag is flying in the ship is temporarily absent from the vessel (see also 'international code of signal flags’ and ‘international code of signals’).
2) In largely US yachting usage, a plain blue flag flown from the starboard yardarm or spreader indicating that the owner of a vessel is not on board (see also ‘yardarm’).

[absence example]
From left: First Substitute (Flag Officer Absent), ICS Second Substitute (Chief of Staff Absent), ICS Third Substitute (Captain Absent), ICS Fourth Substitute (Civil/Military Official Absent), ICS Yachting Flag

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) The armorial bearings of a deceased person as displayed at that person’s funeral – a hatchment (see also ‘armorial bearings’, ‘badge banner’, ‘bannerole’, ‘coat of arms’, ‘great banner’ and ‘grumphion’).
ACTIVE
A term used to describe when the rays of a star or sun emblem, or a radiating stripe, are shown with undulating or wavy curves – see ‘inactive’ (also ‘radiating’, ‘star 2)’ and its following note).
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’).
ADVERTISING BANNER
See ‘banner 4)’.
AIR FORCE FLAG (or ENSIGN)
See ‘branch of service flag’ (also ‘armed services flag’).
AIRCRAFT MARKING
See ‘fin flash’ and ‘roundel 1)’.
AIRCRAFT INSIGNIA
A recently redefined term that is intended to cover all markings of nationality on the wings, fuselage and tail fins of primarily (but not exclusively) military aircraft (see also ‘fin flash’ and ‘roundel 1)’).

Please note however, that the term has been in use by the US military for at least 50 years and refers to those markings on the tail fins of primarily (but not exclusively) military aircraft.

AIRFIELD FLAG
In largely US usage, an orange and white checkered flag flown on equipment operating on an airfield (see also ‘checky’).
ALFAQUAQUUS
The medieval term, now obsolete, for a person who is entitled to carry his banner erect on the King’s highway.

This word is recorded as having a Spanish origin (which remains unproven) however, the extent to which it was used in English medieval manuscripts is not known.

ALFERES (or ALFEROUS)
A late 17th early 18th Century term, now obsolete, for a ‘standard bearer’.

Please note, it is suggested that the alternative form was sometimes used in medieval manuscripts, and note also the relationship between this term and the Spanish military rank of alfιrez or ensign (see also ‘ensign 5)’.

ALLEGORY
The term for a pictorial illustration on flags with symbolic meaning, and whose imagery is usually intended to convey a moral and/or political message.

[absence example]
Command Flag of the Batavian Republic 1797, The Netherland (fotw)

ALQUILIFER
A bearer of the ancient Roman legionary eagle - see 'eagle 2)' (also 'vexillary' and 'vexilloid').
ALTEMA
A medieval term, now obsolete, for the upper part of the cart upon which the standard was placed (see also ‘carrocium’, ‘gajardus’ and ‘standard 6)’).
ANCIENT
1) In heraldry, a coat of arms or charge formerly in use but now replaced by another design which is then termed modern such as, for example, Austria ancient and Austria modern.
2) A 16th/17th Century term, now wholly obsolete, for a ship’s stern mounted ensign, or military colour whether displayed ashore or afloat - an auncient (see also ‘ensign 1)’ and ‘colour 2)’).
3) A 16th/17th Century term, now wholly obsolete, equivalent to, and with the same duties as, the later but also obsolete army rank of ensign (see also ‘ensign 3)’ and ‘ensign 4)’).

[ancient example]
From left: Austria Ancient, Austria Modern (fotw)

ANNULET
A ring-like charge in heraldry – see ‘ring’.

Please note however, it is suggested that a suitable glossary or dictionary of heraldry be consulted for correct usage of this term.

ANTESIGNORY (or ANTESIGNANUS)
A term, now obsolete, for the guard who precedes a standard (see also ‘standard 5)’).

Please note, it is suggested that the alternative form was used in medieval manuscripts.

ANTIQUE CROWN
A heraldic term for a type of coronet generally comprising of a circlet with triangular rays all round (see also ‘coronet’).

[antique crown]
(Parker)

APPLIQUΙ
(n & v) A method of flag manufacture in which one or more pieces of cloth are stitched on the field to form a design. This technique is often used where the design on the obverse differs from that on the reverse (see also ‘obverse’ and ‘reverse’).
APPOINTMENT FLAG
1) In UK and other military usage, that flag which corresponds to a particular position held, rather than to the rank of the officer who currently holds it - but see ‘positional flag’ (also ‘class flag’ and ‘rank flag 1)’).
2) See ‘distinguishing flag 1)’.

[appointment flag example]
RAF Station Commander, UK (Graham Bartram)

AQUILA
See ‘eagle 2)’.
ARCHIVEXILLIFER
honorary title, now obsolete, for the chief standard or flag bearer to the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire (see also ‘archivexillum’ and following note), and ‘gonfaloniership’.
ARCHIVEXILLUM
A recently redefined term intended to cover a flag design that is established - or recommended - by authority, and upon which other flags (adapted as required) may be based – a template flag. A typical example is the British blue ensign that acts as a basic template for other government flags, and for the flags of most British Overseas Territories (see also ‘archivexillifer’, ‘core flag’ and ‘ blue ensign’).

[archivexillum example]
From left: UK Blue Ensign (Graham Bartram), UK Customs Ensign (Graham Bartram), UK Fleet Auxiliary Ensign (Graham Bartram)

Please note that the word appears in a 19th Century German etymological dictionary as the origin of the term erzbanner (that may be translated as chief or imperial banner) but – with the exception of a possible relationship to the term archivexillifer - this is otherwise unsupported by further sources.

ARGENT
A heraldic term for the metal silver, it is generally shown as white in flags, but occasionally as grey, sometimes as silver leaf or metallic paint, or in an embroidered design, as silver thread (see 'Appendix III', 'embroider', and 'rule of tincture').
ARMED
See Appendix V.
ARMED SERVICES FLAG(S)
A generic term for any flag that pertains to a particular branch of the armed services, or a unit within that branch.

Please note however, that the various types of flags used by the armed services – for example an appointment flag, branch of service flag, camp flag, colour, flag of command, guidon, positional or rank flag – are separately defined herein and are, we suggest, to be preferred in description.

ARMIGEROUS
(adj) Possessing or showing a coat of arms (see also 'armorial bearings').
ARMORIAL BANNER
See ‘banner 1)’.
ARMORIAL BEARINGS
All the armorial insignia to which an individual, family or institution are entitled – an achievement of arms or establishment of arms (see note below for further details, also ‘quarters’, ‘quartering’ and ‘quarterly’).

Please note, however, that a full set of armorial bearings can include (for example) shield, supporters, helmet, torse, crest, collar, mantling, compartment, motto etc., and whilst many of the terms used are illustrated in Appendix IV and/or briefly defined herein, it is suggested that a suitable glossary or heraldic dictionary be consulted for full details.

ARMORIAL SAIL
A term for the largely obsolete (but not entirely) practice of having all or a part of a coat of arms displayed on a au^airfe.html  vessel’s sail (see also ‘armorial bearings’ and ‘coat of arms’).

armorial sail
NCO Naval School, Columbia (Eugene Ipavec)

ARMS
See ‘armorial bearings’, ‘coat of arms’ and ‘shield’.
ARMY FLAG
See ‘branch of service flag’ (also ‘armed services flag’).
ASCENDING DIAGONAL
A diagonal stripe that runs from the lower hoist corner to the upper fly corner, and which centres on the corners of the flag – a bend sinister. See ‘bend sinister’ in Appendix VI (also ‘descending diagonal’, ‘east-west diagonal’, ‘north-south diagonal’, ‘south-north diagonal’ and ‘west-east diagonal’).

[ascending diagonal example]
National Flag of Tanzania (fotw)

ASHOKA CHAKRA
See ‘chakra’.
ASPECT RATIO
See ‘proportions’.
ASTRAL CROWN
In UK and some other usage, a coronet based on the naval model, but composed of wings and stars, and representative of the military air service (see also ‘coronet’ and ‘naval crown’).

[astral crown example]
(Martin Grieve)

AUGMENTATION OF HONOUR (OR HONOR)
A charge added to a flag or coat of arms to indicate special recognition for some – not necessarily military – service, with an example being the George Cross that was added to the arms of Malta and now appears on their current national flag and naval jack (see also ‘battle honour’ and ‘charge’).

[augmentation example]
From left: National Flag of Malta (fotw), Naval Jack of Malta (fotw)

Please note that this is in comparison to a battle honour which is almost invariably related to combat, and is entirely military in character.

AUNCIENT
See 'ancient 2)'.
AURIFLAMMA
See ‘oriflamme’.
AUTOMOBILE FLAG
See ‘car flag’.
AUXILIARY ENSIGN
See ‘government ensign’ under ‘ensign’.
AWARD FLAG (or PENNANT)
A flag or pennant signifying that the organization displaying it has received the citation, commendation or other award represented by the flag's design - citation flag/pennant or commendation flag/pennant.

[award pennant example]
The Queen’s Award for Export Achievement, UK (Graham Bartram).

AWARD STREAMER
In US largely usage, a streamer attached to the flag of a military unit to signify the award of an order, citation, decoration, or similar collective honour (see also ‘streamer 1)’).
AZURE
A heraldic term for the colour blue (see also ‘Appendix III’ and ‘rule of tincture’).