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# Dictionary of Vexillology: E (Ensign – Envecked)

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Last modified: 2026-05-16 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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On this page:

- ENSIGN
  - Civil Ensign
  - Customs Ensign
  - Government (or State) Ensign
  - Leisure Ensign
  - Naval Ensign
  - Reserve Ensign
  - Service Ensign
  - War Ensign
  - Yacht (Yacht Club or Leisure) Ensign
- ENSIGN-BANNER
- ENSIGN OF HONOUR (OR HONOR)
- ENSIGN STAFF
- ENSIGN, THE
- ENSIGNED
- ENTIRE
- ENTRELACÉ
- ENTY
- ENVECKED

ENSIGN
  1) A flag used at sea to denote nationality – or the national flag for use at sea – and whose current usage falls into one of the several categories listed separately below (see also galley ensign, leech, peak and privateer ensign). see supplemental note
  2) The term may also be applied to the distinctive flags of certain or all the armed services of a particular country (which may, in addition, also act as flags of national identification) such as the British Air Force Ensign or South African Police Service Ensign.
  3) The rank or distinguishing flag of a military or government service formerly used as an ensign (under definition 1) and still so called for historical reasons – for example the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs ensigns.
  4) A largely (if not wholly) obsolete alternate name for a military colour (see also ancient 2) and colour 2)).
  5) An obsolete name for the lowest commissioned rank in the British Army, being that rank responsible for carrying the regimental colour (see also ancient 3)). Also, the lowest commissioned rank in the United States Navy and some others.
  6) In heraldry the correct, although little used, term for the armorial bearings of a kingdom, of an office or of a community – insignia (see also armorial bearings, ensign-banner).

  Notes
  1) With regard to 1) that the ensign is generally displayed on a staff at the stern of a vessel, or from the peak of the gaff of a sailing vessel if so rigged or two-thirds up the leech of the mainsail if not.
  2) In the case of a naval ship the ensign is flown from either an ensign staff at the stern or from the rigging, with this latter depending either on tradition or operational requirements and is covered under peak (as referenced above).

  From an Ensign Staff; At the Peak; From the Leech

Civil Ensign
  A flag flown by civilian owned vessels and craft to denote nationality, sometimes the relevant national flag/variant thereof, or occasionally a completely different design – a merchant ensign, commercial or merchant flag (see also civil flag, ‘civil jack’ under jack and red ensign 1).

  Civil Ensign of Malaysia; Civil Ensign of Croatia; Civil Ensign of Singapore

Customs ensign
  1) See ensign 3) and customs flag (also "government ensign" below).
  2) See service ensign.

  Custom Ensign of Israel; Customs Ensign of Finland; Customs Ensign of Moldova

Government (or State) Ensign
  A flag flown to denote nationality by those government vessels that are not warships, and sometimes defaced by badges to denote various departments – but see template flag, archivexillum, service ensign and state ensign 2) (also blue ensign and ‘government jack’ under jack, service pennant).

  Government Ensign of Singapore; State Ensign of Malaysia; Government Ensign of Cayman Islands

  Please note however, that the defaced Blue Ensigns of British Dependent Territories (as illustrated above) act as both an official flag on land, and as a Government Ensign when flown by a Government owned vessel at sea.

Leisure Ensign
  See yacht ensign under ensign.

  Ensign of the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club

Naval Ensign
  A flag flown by the naval vessels of a particular country to denote nationality – sometimes the relevant state or national flag, or a variant thereof, or occasionally a completely different design (see also masthead pennant 1), 'naval jack' under jack, suit of flags and white ensign).

  Naval Ensign of Nigeria; Naval Ensign of The RSA; Naval Ensign of Italy

Reserve Ensign
  A flag, different from the normal civil ensign, which is flown to denote nationality by merchant vessels commanded by an officer of that country’s naval reserve, and usually requiring a special warrant (see also blue ensign 1)).

  Reserve Ensign of The Netherlands; Reserve Ensign of the UK; Reserve Ensign 1922–1937, Yugoslavia

Service Ensign
  A flag flown to denote nationality by vessels engaged in providing a particular service – for example, customs, mail, post, pilotage or lighthouses etc. – but see the note below and government ensign (also customs flag and postal flag).

  Ensign of Trinity House, UK; Ensign of the Eastern Canadian Customs Service; Ensign for the Department of Supply and Service 1899, Canada

  Please note that a service ensign can also be a government ensign when the service involved is a government responsibility, for example that of the Eastern Canadian Customs illustrated above.

War Ensign
  See naval ensign and war flag.

  War/Naval Ensign of Germany 1903–1919; War/Naval Ensign of Fiji; War/Naval Ensign of Malaysia

Yacht (or Yacht Club) Ensign
  A flag, different from the normal civil ensign, which is flown by leisure craft to denote nationality, usually requiring a special Warrant and often (but by no means invariably) defaced by an appropriate club emblem – a yacht club or leisure ensign (see also blue ensign 1) with its following note, and civil ensign above).

  Yacht Ensign of Belgium; Yacht Ensign of Spain; Ensign of the Randers Sailing Club 1889–2025, Denmark

  Please note that in UK usage the owners of civil/leisure vessels flying a plain blue or defaced ensign are legally obliged to have the warrant/club membership papers applicable to that ensign available on board, and must produce it when requested to do so by the appropriate authorities.

ENSIGN-BANNER
  The term for a flag with a field and/or border (possibly also a fringe) in the livery colours of a coat of arms, and charged with the full set of armorial bearings – but see armorial flag 2) and the notes below (also armorial flag, charged, ensign 5), insignia, livery colours).

  State Flag and Arms of Spain 1945–1977; Flag of Albufeira, Portugal

  Notes
  a) The provenance of this term is uncertain and its use of the description "banner" (as defined herein) inaccurate. However, a possible derivation from insignia-banner (as opposed to armorial banner) cannot be ignored.
  b) A full set of armorial bearings (most notably in Continental civic heraldry) need not contain all the traditional elements (such as supporters and motto), and to avoid any potential confusion the new term "armorial flag" (both generically and specifically) is recommended for use in description.

ENSIGN OF HONOUR (OR HONOR)
  In largely East European naval usage, the term for a defaced ensign awarded to vessels that have particularly distinguished themselves, and have received a decoration – an honour ensign or naval ensign of honour (see also ensign 1), flag of honour).

  Ensign of Honour, Yugoslavia 1937–1941; Naval Ensign of Honour, Yugoslavia 1949–1991

ENSIGN STAFF
  The short staff at the stern of a ship upon which the ensign is hoisted – a quarterdeck staff (see also ensign 1), jack staff and staff 1)).

  (getarchive.net)

ENSIGN, THE
  An alternative term, now obsolete, for the naval ensign – see "naval ensign" under ensign (also merchant flag).

  The Ensign/Naval Ensign of Italy 1848–1946; The Ensign/Naval Ensign of Bulgaria 1878–1908

ENSIGNED
  The heraldic term used when a charge is placed above or at the top of another. For example, a shield with a crown placed above is said to be ensigned with the crown – topped but see the note below and surmounted, by 2) (also charge 1), crest 1), helm, shield 1)).

  Flag of Geria, Spain; Flag of Bellac, France; Flag of Rijeka, Croatia

  Please note that the correct heraldic term for a charge that is placed in front of rather than at the top of another is ‘surmounted by’ as referenced above.

ENTIRE
  1) A heraldic term that may be used when a coat of arms is shown in its entirety but which is impaled, tierced, or displayed quarterly with another that is dimidiated (see also coat of arms 2), impale).
  2) See throughout.

  Flag of Krásné Pole, Poland; Flag of Beringen, Switzerland; Flag of Pontrieux, France

ENTRELACÉ
  An alternative heraldic term to interlaced.

  Flag and Arms of Cerna, Croatia

ENTY
  An alternative heraldic term to point-in-point.

  Arms and Flag of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (heraldry-wiki.com and fotw)

ENVECKED
  An alternative heraldic term to invected.

  Flag of Lázně Bělohrad, Czechia

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