Dictionary of Vexillology: A (Affrontant - Ajouré)

Last modified: 2016-05-23 by rob raeside
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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On this page:

• AFFRONTANT (or AFFRONTษ)
• AFFRONTY
• AFLAME
• AFRO-AMERICAN FLAG (or COLORS/COLOURS)
• AFTER SPAN
• AGNUS DEI
• AIGUILLETTE
• AIR (or AIRCRAFT) DEVICE(S)
• AIR FORCE/AIRFORCE FLAG (or AIR FORCE/AIRFORCE ENSIGN/COLOUR)
• AIR MAIL (or AIRMAIL) FLAG (or PENNANT)
• AIRCRAFT INSIGNIA
• AIRCRAFT MARKING(S)
• AIRFIELD (or AIRPORT) SAFETY (or AIRFIELD/AIRPORT CONSTRUCTION) FLAG
• AIRLINE FLAG (or PENNANT)
• AJOURษ

AFFRONTANT (or AFFRONTษ)

See ‘respectant’ in ‘appendix V’.

Flag of Marrum/Westernijkerk, The Netherlands (fotw)

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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 M๘re og Romsdal, Norway (fotw); Flag and Arms of Strizivojna, Croatia (fotw); Flag of Hersberg, Switzerland (fotw); Flag of Ober๖nz, 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’.

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AFLAME

A term sometimes (incorrectly) used in place of the heraldic term inflamed or its alternatives – see ‘inflamed’.

Arms and Flag of Vimeiro, Portugal (Sergio Horta)

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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)’.

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AFRO-AMERICAN FLAG (or COLORS/COLOURS)

See ‘Garvey colours’.

Marcus Garvey’s Flag 1917 (fotw); An Afro-American Flag (Tomislav Todorovic)

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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)

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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)

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AIR (or AIRCRAFT) RECOGNITION DEVICE(S)

See ‘fin flash’ and ‘roundel 1)’ (also ‘aircraft marking(s)’).

 
Roundel and Fin flash, Greece (fotw)

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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, Belarus (fotw); Air Force Ensign, UK (fotw); Air Force Flag, US (fotw); Air Force Colour, Croatia (fotw); Air Force Ensign, South Africa (fotw)

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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)

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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)’.

Aircraft Insignia/Markings, Guatemala (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 Insignia/Markings 1919 - 1943, USAF (Wikipedia)

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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 for Combat Aircraft, UK; Roundel and Fin Flash, France c1917; Roundel and Fin Flash, Dominican Republic (fotw)

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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’).

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AIRLINE FLAG

See ‘corporate flag’.

     
Flag of Qantas, Australia (fotw); Flag of LOT Airline, Poland c1930 – c1940 (Miles Li); Pennant of ČLS Airline, Czechoslovakia 1927 – 1938 (Miles li)

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AJOURÉ

A heraldic term used when the windows and gateway of a fortified building are in the same tincture as the field – see ‘tinctures’ and in ‘appendix III’ and ‘field 2)’ (also ‘litten’ ).

 
Flag of the Balearic Islands, Spain (fotw); Flag of Palau-Sator, Spain (fotw); Arms and Flag of Borba, Portugal (Klaus-Michael Schneider)

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.

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