Learn More About Vexillology!

What is Vexillology?

Vexillology is the study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags or, by extension, and interest in flags in general.

A person who studies flags is referred to as a vexillologist; a person who designs flags is a vexillographer; the art of designing flags is called vexillography; and a person who is a hobbyist or a general admirer of flags is a vexillophile.

The flag to the left is the flag of the International Federation of Vexillological Associations - a yellow sheet bend on a blue field.

Vexillology Terms to Know

Flag Elements

Badge - a coat of arms or simple heraldic symbol

Canton - any quarter of a flag, but commonly means the upper hoist quarter, such as the field of stars in the flag of the United States or the Union Jack in the Australian flag

Charge - a figue or symbol appearing in the field of a flag

Emblem - a decived often used as a charge on a flag. It may be heraldic in origin or modern, such as the maple leaf on the Canadian flag

Field - the background of a flag; the color behind the charges

Fimbriation - a narrow edging or border, often in white or cold, ona flag to separate two other colors, such as the white and gold lines of the South African flag

Finial - a decorative or protective cap atop the flagpole, often shaped like a sphere or a shape of heraldic significant, such as an eagle or sphere

Fly - the half or edge of a flag farthest away from the flagpole, also refers to the horizontla length of a flag

Heading - a piece of loose fabric running along the hoist for attaching a flag to its rope

Hoist - the half or edge of a flag nearest the flagpole, sometimes referred to as the vertical dimension of a flag

Length - the span of a flag along the side at right angles to the flagpole

Width/Breadth - the span of a flag down the side parallel to the flagpole