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# Dictionary of Vexillology: A (Augmentation – Azure)

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Last modified: 2026-05-02 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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On this page:

- AUGMENTATION OF HONOUR/HONOR (AUGMENTATIONS or AUGMENTED)
- AUNCIENT
- AUREOLE
- AURIFLAMMA
- AUSFLAG
- AUSLEGERFLAGGE
- AUTOMOBILE FLAG
- AUTOMOBILE PLATE
- AUXILLIARY COLOURS
- AUXILIARY ENSIGN
- AVERTED
- AVIS CROSS
- AWARD FLAG (or AWARD PENNANT)
- AWARD STREAMER
- AZURE

AUGMENTATION OF HONOUR/HONOR (AUGMENTATIONS or AUGMENTED)
  Heraldically derived terms for the charge added to a flag or coat of arms to indicate special recognition for some – not necessarily military – service; an honorary distinction, addition of honour, augmentations or augmented (see also battle honour and charge).

  National Flag, enlarged detail and Naval Jack of Malta

  Notes
  a) An example of the above would be the George Cross which was added to the arms of Malta in 1942, and now appears on their current national flag, national arms, and naval jack – see George cross.
  b) This is in comparison to a battle honour which is almost invariably related to combat and is entirely military in character.

AUNCIENT
  See ancient 2).

  An Auncient/Ancient, English c1590

AUREOLE
  The term sometimes used to cover an area of light usually (but not invariably) surrounding the whole or a part of some revered object or person – but see mandoria and nimbus.

  Flag of Santa Eufémia, Portugal

AURIFLAMMA
  See oriflamme.

  One interpretation of the Auriflamma/Oriflamme

AUSFLAG
  A colloquial term for one of the several designs suggested (over a period of several years) as alternatives to the current Australian national flag (see also flag design competition and flag proposal).

  Three examples of an Ausflag proposals from 1993–1997

  Please note that Ausflag Ltd is an organization committed to the promotion of a new Australian national flag

AUSLEGERFLAGGE
  See outrigger flag.

AUTOMOBILE FLAG
  See car flag.

  Automobile/Car Flag, Prime Minister and the President of the State Parliament, Saar, Germany

AUTOMOBILE PLATE
  See rank plate.

  Automobile/rank plate, General Army and Marine Corps US

AUXILIARY COLOURS
  In heraldry see mixed tinctures.

  Brunatre and Tenne

AUXILIARY ENSIGN
  See ‘government ensign’ under ensign.

  Ensign for Auxiliary Ships, India; Royal Maritime Auxiliary, UK; Ensign for Auxiliary Ships, Ukraine

AVERTED
  In heraldry the term sometimes used to describe two animals or other charges that are placed back to back – but see addorsed 2).

  Flag of Schmerikon, Switzerland; Flag of Baçal, Portugal; Flag of Orbe, Switzerland

  Please note that this word has a different meaning in Modern English, however, its etymology would suggest that it would have been correct usage at an earlier date.

AVIS CROSS
  A symbol of the Portuguese branch of the Order of Calatrava – the Avis Order – but see cross fleury (also cross of calatrava).

  Flag of Avis Commune, Portugal; Putative Banner of Arms of the Avis Order, Portugal; Flag of Avis Municipality, Portugal

AWARD FLAG (or AWARD PENNANT)
  A flag or pennant signifying that the organization displaying it has received the citation, commendation or other award usually represented by the flag's design – citation flag/pennant, commendation flag/pennant, honour banner or touring flag (see also battle efficiency pennant, blue flag, e pennant 2), s pennant).

  The Queen’s Award for Export Achievement, UK; Naval Energy Conservation Award, US; Beach Quality Award Flag, Portugal

  Please note that such awards (and their accompanying flags) are often only held for a limited period.

AWARD STREAMER
  In largely US usage, a streamer attached to the flag of a military unit to signify the award of an order, citation, decoration, or similar collective honour (see also streamer 1)).

  Valorous Unit Award Streamer, US

AZURE
  A heraldic term for the colour blue – see tinctures (also rule of tincture).

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