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Dictionary of Vexillology: A (Affrontant - Ajouré)

Last modified: 2022-03-05 by rob raeside
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AFFRONTANT (or AFFRONTÉ)
Alternative heraldic terms sometimes used in place of combatant or respectant - see ‘combatant’ and ‘respectant’.

[affrontant example]  [affrontant example]  [affrontant example]
Flag and arms of Leuzigen, Switzerland (Wikipedia & fotw); Flag of Marrum/Westernijkerk, The Netherlands (fotw)

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.

affronty affronty affronty affronty
Arms and Flag of Hemsedal, Norway (fotw); Flag of Oberönz, Switzerland (fotw); Arms of Saint-Chamas, France (Wikipedia)

With regard to 1) please note this term is not to be confused with affrontant – see ‘affrontant’.

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

[aflame example] [aflame example]
Arms and Flag of Vimeiro, Portugal (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)’.
AFRO-AMERICAN FLAG (or COLORS/COLOURS)
See ‘Garvey colours’.

Marcus Garvey flag Marcus Garvey colours
Marcus Garvey’s Flag 1917 (fotw); An Afro-American Flag (fotw)

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 Pascal Lamb (see also ‘nimbus’).

arms of Preston, UK  Kunovice, Czechia arms of Knin, Croatia Gotland, Sweden  
Arms of Preston, UK (fotw); Flag of Kunovice, Czechia (fotw); Arms of Knin, Croatia (fotw); Flag of Gotland, Sweden (fotw);

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
Officers of the Household Cavalry, UK (Wikipedia)

AIR (or AIRCRAFT) RECOGNITION DEVICE(S)
See ‘fin flash’ and ‘roundel 1)’ (also ‘aircraft marking(s)’).

Greek roundel  Greek fin flash
Roundel and Fin flash, Greece (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)’).

US Air Force Flag Air Force Colour, Croatia Air Force Flag Lebanon SA Air Force Flag
Air Force Flag, US (fotw); Air Force Colour, Croatia (fotw); Air Force Flag, Lebanon (fotw); Air Force Ensign, South Africa (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 Royal Air Mail pennant
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 aircraft insignia aircraft insignia aircraft insignia aircraft insignia aircraft insignia
Aircraft Insignia/Markings 1919 - 1942, USAF (Wikipedia); Aircraft Insignia/Markings, Panama (fotw); Aircraft Insignia/Markings, Croatia (fotw & Wikipedia)

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 fin flash  roundel fin flash fin flash roundel
Roundel and Fin Flash, UK (Wikipedia); 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’).

airfield safety flag
Example (fotw)

AIRLINE FLAG (or PENNANT)
See ‘corporate flag’.

Royal Jordanian Airlines  LOT
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’).

Greek fin flash Borba, Portugal Borba, Portugal
Flag of Palau-Sator, Spain (fotw); Arms and 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.

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