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# Dictionary of Vexillology: D (Department Pennant – Dexter Hoist)

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Last modified: 2026-04-04 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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- DEPARTMENT PENNANT
- DEPARTMENTAL EMBLEM
- DEPARTMENTAL (or DEPARTMENT) FLAG
- DEPTH
- DESCATE
- DESECRATE
- DESCENDING DIAGONAL
- DESECRATE
- DESIGNATING (OF HEADQUARTERS) FLAG
- DESK FLAG (or DESK TOP FLAG)
- DESTINATION FLAG
- DETAILED
- DEVICE
- DEXTER
- DEXTER EDGE
- DEXTER HOIST (HOISTED or HOISTING)

DEPARTMENT PENNANT
  See service pennant.

  Departmental/Service Pennant, Coastguard, Sweden

DEPARTMENTAL EMBLEM
  See emblem military and governmental/departmental under emblem.

  Emblem of British Railways 1949–1965

DEPARTMENTAL (or DEPARTMENT) FLAG
  1) The phrases used to describe the flag of a sub-national entity when that entity is called a "department" – see sub-national flag.
  2) These phrases can also represent the flag of administrative or clerical agencies within a governmental structure.

  General Political Warfare Department 1958–1986, Taiwan; Flag of Vaucluse, France; Department of Budget and Management, The Philippines

DEPTH
  1) See width 1).
  2) See width 3).

  Example of 1); Flag of Baška, Croatia

DESCATE
  (adj) A term used to describe a rounded (or lanceolate) fly into which a ‘V’ shaped notch has been cut, and a shape often seen in UK cavalry guidons – cloven descate or rounded swallowtail (see also fly 1), guidon 2), hussar cut, lanceolate, pennant, swallow tail(ed)).

  Guidon of the Metropolitan Police Mounted Branch, UK; Guidon of the Blues and Royals, UK (Graham Bartram)

  Please note that in UK usage this pattern of flag/pennant is a direct development of the shape formerly carried by formations of cavalry – see chamfered swallow-tail.

  Guidon of the Royal Gloucestershire Yeomanry 1797, UK

DESCENDING DIAGONAL
  1) The term for a diagonal stripe that runs from the upper hoist to the lower fly, and is centred on the corners of the flag – a bend, falling diagonal, hoist-diagonal, right diagonal or right diagonal bar – but see bend and Appendix IX (also ascending diagonal, east-west diagonal, north-east diagonal, north-south diagonal, south-east diagonal, south-north diagonal, west-east diagonal, west-north diagonal, west-south diagonal.
  2) The term may also be used to describe the division line on a bicolour divided diagonally per bend as shown below – see per bend 1) (also bicolour 1)).

  Flag of Utrecht, The Netherlands; Flag of L-Imqabba, Malta; Flag of Rašov, Czechia

DESECRATE
  1) (v) To maliciously damage or mistreat a flag for political or other motives, or to use a flag in a way that is considered disrespectful or inappropriate (see also rules of respect and Appendix II&).
  2) See disfigure.

DESIGNATING (OF HEADQUARTERS) FLAG
  See headquarters flag 2).

  Designating/Headquarters Flag of a Brigadier General, US Army

DESK FLAG (or DESK TOP FLAG)
  See table flag.

  Desk/Table Flag of Gracišce, Croatia (fotw and CS)

DESTINATION FLAG
  The term describing a custom whereby the flag of the country of destination may be flown at the fore by a merchant ship or pleasure vessel when about to sail (see also fore).

DETAILED
  A term newly introduced into heraldic blazoning that may be used to describe the black or contrasting shade employed in detailing a charge or charges – but see outlined (also blazon, charge, heraldry and lined 2)).

  Flag of Saint-George, Switzerland; Flag of Mairengo, Switzerland; Flag of Chironico, Switzerland

  Please not that this use of the term has been introduced by the Editors as no established or unequivocal alternative could be discovered.

DEVICE
  1) Originally a heraldic term for a temporary mark extra to the coat of arms to distinguish those who entered the lists at tournaments, it now refers specifically to the motto (see motto).
  2) The term used to describe those marks of difference that appear on English military colours of the 17th century (see also stand 1) and venn).
  3) A term sometimes inaccurately applied to any charge, badge or emblem – see badge, charge, emblem).

  Major’s then First, Second and Third Captain’s Colours, Westminster Liberty Regiment, London, England c1641

DEXTER
  The heraldic term for the right hand side of a flag or shield from the point of view of the bearer, or the left hand side from the point of view of an observer (see also sinister).

DEXTER EDGE
  1) With regard to a shield see dexter above.
  2) A term that may be used in describing the left hand facing edge of a banner or gonfalon which is hung from a crossbar, and equivalent to the top edge of a conventionally hoisted flag – the leading edge (see also banner 2) and gonfalon).

DEXTER HOIST (HOISTED or HOISTING)
  Rarely employed terms, but those that may be used when the obverse of a flag is depicted (or is manufactured) with its hoist to the observer's left in accordance with Western tradition – left hoisted – see dexter, sinister hoist (also hoist 1), obverse, reverse).

  National Flag of Moldova

  Please note, it is usually felt unnecessary to specify the dexter hoist since it is a default assumption in most cases.

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