- AFFRONTANT (or AFFRONTÉ)
- Alternative heraldic terms sometimes (and correctly) used in place of combatant or respectant
– see ‘affronty’, ‘combatant’ and ‘respectant’.
![[affrontant example]](../images/v/vxt-d5092.gif)
![[affrontant example]](../images/v/vxt-d3621.gif)
![[affrontant example]](../images/v/vxt-d5453.gif)
Flag of Samouco, Portugal;
Flag of Leuzigen, Switzerland;
Flag of Santo Estêvão, Portugal
- AFFRONTY
- 1) The heraldic term used when the head of a beast or a man is shown facing the observer – but see caboshed and 2) below (also respectant and guardant).
- 2) The heraldic term also used when a charge, such as a helmet, house or ship, is shown with
its front towards the observer.
- 3) A term often (and wrongly) used in place of the correct heraldic description affrontant –
see affrontant.
Flag of Hemsedal, Norway;
Flag of Normandy, France;
Flag of Oberönz, Switzerland
- 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 (fotw)
- AFRO-AMERICAN FLAG (or COLORS/COLOURS)
- See ‘Garvey colours’.
Marcus Garvey’s Flag 1917 (fotw); An
Afro-American Flag (fotw)
- AFTER SPAN
- The line nearest the stern upon which signal flags are displayed when a vessel is dressed overall –
see ‘dressing lines’,
‘dress ship, to 1)’ and
‘dress ship, to 4)’.
- 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,
Holy Lamb of God, Lamb of God or Paschal Lamb
(see also ‘nimbus’).
Flag of Bennwil, Switzerland;
Flag of Flag of Vilar do Paraíso, Portugal;
Flag of Gotland, Sweden
- 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 (or AIRCRAFT) RECOGNITION DEVICE(S)
- See ‘fin flash’ and ‘roundel 1)’
(also ‘aircraft marking(s)’).
Roundel and Fin flash, Greece (fotw);
Roundel, Guatemala (fotw)
- AIR FORCE/AIRFORCE FLAG (or AIR FORCE/AIRFORCE ENSIGN/COLOUR)
- See ‘branch of service flag’
(also ‘armed services flag’,
‘class flag’ and
‘ensign 2)’).
Air Force Flag, Taiwan (fotw);
Flag of the Air Force, Israel (fotw);
Air Force Ensign, Myanmar (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 (fotw);
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 – but see note below (also
‘roundel 1)’).
2) Generically see ‘aircraft marking(s)’.
Aircraft Insignia/Markings 1919–1942, USAF (Wikipedia); Aircraft Insignia/Markings,
Croatia (fotw)
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)’,
‘victory markings’ and
‘wing marking(s) 1))’).
Roundel and Fin Flash, France c1917 (fotw & CS);
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’).
Example (fotw)
- AIRLINE FLAG (or PENNANT)
- See ‘corporate flag’.
Flag of The Royal Jordanian Airlines (fotw);
Flagship Pennant, American Airlines 1936 – c1955 (fotw).
- AJOURÉ
- A heraldic term used when the windows and/or gateway of a fortified building are in the same tincture as
the field – see
‘tinctures’ and
‘field 2)’
(also ‘litten’).
Flag of
Palau-Sator, Spain (fotw);
Flag of Miranda do Douro, Portugal (fotw);
Flag of Almeida, Portugal (fotw)
Please note that this term has a wider use than is detailed above, and the Editors recommend that a heraldic dictionary be consulted if further details are required.
