- AQUILA
- See eagle 2).
- ARCH-DUCAL (or ARCHDUCAL) BONNET (CORONET or HAT)
- See coronet 2).
State Service Flag and Arms of Salzburg, Austria ensigned
with an Arch-Ducal Bonnet
- ARCHIEPISCOPAL CROSS
- See cross of Lorraine.
- ARCHIVEXILLIFER
- An 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 now 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,
armorial ensign,
colonial flags,
blue ensign).
deface,
core flag, and
undefaced).
![[archivexillum example]](../images/v/vxt-d018.gif)
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').
- ARM FLASH
- See badge 3) and
regimental colours 2) (also
military crest).
- ARMED
- 1) In vexillology see armoured.
- 2) In heraldry a term used when the claws, teeth talons and sometimes the beak of a beast or bird of prey
are shown in a different tincture to the body (see also appendix V,
attired,
beaked,
langued,
gorged,
jelloped,
membered and
tincture).
Flag of Flanders, Belgium (fotw)
- ARMED SERVICES FLAG(S)
- A generic term for any flag that pertains to, or represents a 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.
- ARMES PARLANTES
- See canting.
- 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 or family, a corporate
institution such as a nation, province or municipality, or a commercial
enterprise are entitled an achievement of arms or complete (armorial)
achievement or establishment of arms
but see note below for further details (also greater arms and
state arms 2) under arms,
coat of arms 1),
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 ENSIGN
-
- A newly introduced term that is intended to cover a British or British-style ensign
(or a canton flag) whose fly is defaced with a set of armorial bearings or the escutcheon
therefrom (see also archivexillum,
armorial bearings,
blue ensign,
canton flag,
escutcheon,
government ensign under
ensign and
red ensign).
From left: National Flag of Fiji (fotw); Government Ensign
of Jersey (fotw); Flag of British Antarctic Territories (fotw); Civil Ensign of Mauritius (fotw)
- ARMORIAL FLAG
- 1) Generically, a term that covers any flag showing all or part of an entitys armorial
bearings against a field of any description (see also
armorial bearings and
coat of arms 2)).
- 2) Specifically, a term that covers any flag whose main charge is a set of armorial
bearings or a part thereof, and which is set against either livery colours or a plain
field but see ensign banner (also
charge 2),
livery colours and
plain 2)
and seal flag).
![[New Jersey, US]](../images/v/vxt-d600.gif)
![[Bibinje, Croatia]](../images/v/vxt-d600c.gif)
![[Galicia, Spain]](../images/v/vxt-d600d.gif)
From left: Flag of New Jersey, USA (fotw); Flag of Melres,
Portugal (fotw); Flag of The Yukon, Canada (fotw); Flag of Bibinje, Croatia fotw);
Flag of Galicia, Spain (fotw)
Please note that this term has been introduced by the
Editors since no established alternative could be found.
- ARMORIAL SAIL
- A term for the largely (but not entirely) obsolete practice of having all or a part of a coat
of arms displayed on a vessels sail (see also armorial bearings,
coat of arms
and flag sail).
NCO Naval School, Colombia (Eugene Ipavec)
- ARMOURED
- 1) In vexillology a term that may be used when a human figure, or any part thereof, is clad in armour.
From left: Flag of the Isle of Man, UK (fotw); Navy Jack of Poland;
Please note that the heraldic term for being clad in armour is harnysed
(harnessed), or in the case of the arm only vambraced.
- ARMS
- See armorial bearings,
coat of arms and
shield , together with greater arms,
lesser arms, middle arms and
state arms below (also gflag arms).
- Greater Arms
- In largely northern European usage, an official description for the full set of armorial
bearings of a nation or province but see middle arms,
lesser arms and state arms 2)
(also armorial bearings, coat of arms 1)
and coat of arms 2))
Greater Arms of Bremen, Germany and of Sweden (fotw)
- Lesser Arms
- In largely northern European usage, the most simplified form in which the set of armorial
bearings of a nation or province may be officially shown but see greater arms,
middle arms and state arms 1)
(also armorial bearings, coat of arms 1)
and coat of arms 2))
Lesser Arms of Bremen, Germany and of Sweden (fotw)
- Middle Arms
- In largely northern European usage, a simplified form in which the set of armorial bearings
of a nation or province may be officially shown but see
greater arms, lesser arms and
state arms 1)
(also armorial bearings, coat of arms 1)
and coat of arms 2))
Middle Arms of Bremen, Germany (fotw)
- State Arms (or Coat of Arms)
- 1) Generically any coat of arms or emblem that is considered representative of a nation or of
a nation state the national arms (see also lesser arms and
middle arms,
coat of arms 1)
and coat of arms 2) and
emblem, state or national).
- 2) Specifically the establishment of arms that officially represents a nation state, as opposed
to any part (or parts) therefrom, or those of the relevant head of state or of any variation which
may appear on a flag (see also
establishment of arms,
flag arms and
greater arms).
- ARMY ENSIGN
- In British Army usage and some others, the term for an ensign (different from the branch of service
flag) that is flown at sea by army vessels (see also
branch of service flag and
government ensign under
ensign).
Army Ensign, UK (fotw)
- ARMY FLAG
- See branch of service flag
(also armed services flag).
- ARRONDISSEMENT FLAGS
- See registration flags.
- ASCENDING DIAGONAL
- 1) The term for 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, rising diagonal or fly-diagonal, but.see
bend sinister
in Appendix VI and Appendix IX (also
descending diagonal,
east-west diagonal,
north-east diagonal,
north-south diagonal,
south-east diagonal,
south-north diagonal,
west-east diagonal
west-north diagonal
and west-south diagonal).
- 2) The term may also be used to describe the division line on a bicolour divided
diagonally as shown below but see per bend sinister 1)
(also bicolour 1)).
National Flag of Tanzania (fotw); Flag of Acre, Brazil (fotw)
- ASKLEPIAN
- See staff of asclepius.
- 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]](../images/v/vxt-d022.gif)
(Martin Grieve)
- AT THE PEAK (or AT THE PEAK OF THE GAFF)
- See peak 1) (also gaff).
- ATTIRE(S)
- The heraldic term for an antler (or a pair or group of antlers) from a stag, when shown separately -
but see attired below.
Ceremonial Flag of Trzebiel, Poland (Jarig Bakker); Royal Standard of Wόrttemberg 18161918, Germany (fotw)
- ATTIRED
- The heraldic term used when the antlers of a stag, or the horns of some other animal for example a goat
are shown in a different tincture from that of its body see attire above (also
appendix V,
armed 2),
beaked,
gorged,
jelloped,
langued,
membered and
tincture).
Flag of Oland, Sweden (fotw); Flag of Seleute, Switzerland (fotw)
- AUGMENTATION OF HONOUR/HONOR (AUGMENTATIONS or
AUGMENTED)
- A heraldically derived term for the 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 - an addition of
honour, augmentations or augmented (see also battle honour
and charge).
From left: Government Ensign of Malta 194364 (fotw); 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.
- AUSFLAG
- A colloquial term for one of the several designs suggested (over a period of several years)
as alternatives to the current Australian national flag.(see also
flag design competition and
flag proposal).
National Flag of Australia (fotw); Three examples of an Ausflag proposals
from 1993 2000 (fotw)
Please note that Ausflag Ltd is an organization committed to the
promotion of a new Australian national flag
- AUSLEGERFLAGGE
- See outrigger flag.
- AUTOMOBILE FLAG
- See car flag.
- AUTOMOBILE PLATE
- See rank plate.
- AUXILLIARY COLOURS
- See mixed tinctures in appendix III.
- AUXILIARY ENSIGN
- See government ensign under ensign.
- AVIS CROSS
- See cross fleury in appendix VIII.
- AWARD FLAG (or PENNANT)
- A flag or pennant signifying that the organization displaying it has received
the citation, commendation or other award usualllyrepresented by the flag's design -
citation flag/pennant,
commendation flag/pennant or
honour banner.
The Queens Award for Export Achievement, UK (Graham Bartram); Naval Energy
Conservation Award, US (fotw); Beach Quality Award Flag, Portugal (fotw)
Please note that such awards (and their accompanying flags) are often only held for a limited
period.
- 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).
