Glossary of vexillology


Flag terminology is the nomenclature, or system of terms, used in vexillology, the study of flags, to describe precisely the parts, patterns, and other attributes of flags and their display.

Basic patterns

Flags often inherit traits seen in traditional European heraldry designs, and as a result, patterns often share names.
NameIllustrationExampleCitation
Vertical bisection Flag of Algeria
Horizontal bisection Flag of Indonesia
Diagonal bisection Flag of Papua New Guinea
Diagonal bisection Flag of Bhutan
PaleFlag of Nigeria
Vertical tricolor Flag of France
FessFlag of Austria
Horizontal tricolor Flag of the Netherlands
BendFlag of Trinidad and Tobago
Bend sinisterFlag of the Republic of the Congo
SideFlag of Pakistan-
Side sinisterFlag of the first three Saudi states, 1744-1913
ChiefFlag of New Brunswick
BaseFlag of Rwanda
Quadrisection Flag of Panama
Diagonal quadrisection Flag of Jamaica
Greek (Hellenic) crossFlag of Switzerland
Symmetric crossFlag of England
Nordic crossFlag of Sweden
SaltireFlag of Scotland
CantonFlag of Taiwan
BorderFlag of Montenegro
BordureFlag of Maldives
PileFlag of the Czech Republic
Pile throughoutFlag of Eritrea
Chevron Flag of NAVA
PallFlag of South Africa
ArrowheadFlag of Guyana
GussetFlag of Jubaland
StripesFlag of Catalonia

Techniques in flag display

Illustrations

Flag illustrations generally depict flags flying from the observer's point of view from left to right, the view known as the obverse ; the other side is the reverse. There are some exceptions, notably some Islamic flags inscribed in Arabic, which is written from right to left; for these the obverse is defined as the side with the hoist to the observer's right.