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# Dictionary of Vexillology: A (Aerial Telegraphy – Ajouré)

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Last modified: 2026-04-25 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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- Introduction
- Table of Contents
- Index of Terms
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On this page:

- AERIAL TELEGRAPHY
- AFFRONTANT (or AFFRONTÉ)
- AFFRONTY
- AFLAME
- AFRO-AMERICAN FLAG (or COLORS/COLOURS)
- AFTER SPAN
- AGNUS DEI
- AIGUILLETTE
- AIR (or AIRCRAFT) RECOGNITION 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)
- AJOURÉ

AERIAL TELEGRAPHY
  See wigwag.

  Vessel Flag of the Army Signal Corps, US (showing a pair of Wig-Wag Flags)

AFFRONTANT (or AFFRONTÉ)
  Alternative heraldic terms sometimes (and correctly) used in place of combatant, confronting or respectant – but see the note below, also affronty.

  Flag of Samouco; Flag of Outeiro; Flag of Santo Estêvão, Portugal

  Please note that the French term "affronté" shown as an alternative in the heading above is often mistranslated as "affronty", however, in this form it has a different meaning in English heraldry.

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.

  Flag of Hemsedal, Norway; Arms of Cidade da Maia, Portugal; Flag of Oberönz, Switzerland

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

  Arms and Flag of Vimeiro, Portugal

AFRO-AMERICAN FLAG (or COLORS/COLOURS)
  See Garvey colours.

  Marcus Garvey’s Flag 1917; an Afro-American Flag

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 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; Roundel, Guatemala 1939–47

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; Flag of the Air Force, Israel; Air Force Ensign, Myanmar

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, UK

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; Aircraft Insignia/Markings, Croatia

  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

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

AIRLINE FLAG (or PENNANT)
  See corporate flag.

  Flag of The Royal Jordanian Airlines; Flagship Pennant, American Airlines 1936–c1955

AJOURÉ
  A heraldic term used when the windows and/or gateway of a fortified building are in the same tincture as the field – see field 2) (also litten).

  Flag of Palau-Sator, Spain; Flag of Sool, Switzerland; Flag of Almeida, Portugal

  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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