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# Dictionary of Vexillology: C (Cross Fitchy – Cross Moline)

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Last modified: 2026-05-09 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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On this page:

- CROSS FITCHY
- CROSS FIXED
- CROSS FLEURY (FLORY, FLORETTY or FLEURONNY)
- CROSS FLEURY ENGRAILED
- CROSS FLEURY FITCHY
- CROSS FLEURY GIRONNY
- CROSS FORMÉE, (FORMÉ or FORMY)
- CROSS FORMY ROUNDED
- CROSS FOURCHÉ (FOURCHÉE, FOURCHY or FORCHY)
- CROSS-FUSILLY
- CROSS GRINGOLÉE
- CROSS GYRONNY
- CROSS HUMETTY
- CROSS-LOZENGY
- CROSS MALTESE
- CROSS MOLINE

CROSS FITCHY
  The heraldic term for a cross which does not usually extend to the edges of a shield, flag, canton or panel, and which may have plain or decorated ends, but whose vertical arm either comes to a point or has a point projecting below it – see cross of santiago (also cross 2) and fitchy).

  Flag of Cabeça Gorda, Portugal; Example; Flag of Bernissart, Belgium

  Please note that, unless referring to a plain cross this term is always accompanied by a further description, for example a "cross crosslet fitchy".

CROSS FIXED
  One heraldic term that covers a standard cross – see cross 1).

  Flag of Nijland, The Netherlands

CROSS FLEURY (FLORY, FLORETTY or FLEURONNY)
  The alternative heraldic terms for a cross which does not usually extend to the edges of a shield, flag, canton or panel, but whose ends are formed by fleur-de-lis – a fleur-de-lis or fleury cross, avis cross or cross of calatrava (see also cross 2), dominican cross, fleury).

  Flag of Mafra; Arms of Glória; Flag of Cabeção, Portugal

CROSS FLEURY ENGRAILED
  See cross fleury (also engrailed).

  Flag of Flintshire, Wales

CROSS FLEURY FITCHY
  A term sometimes used for a cross of Santiago instead of the correct heraldic term Latin cross fleury fitchy – see cross of santiago (also latin cross).

  Flag of Azeitão, Portugal

CROSS FLEURY GIRONNY
  The heraldic term for a dominican cross.

  Example; Flag of Aldeanueva de Santa Cruz, Spain

CROSS FORMÉE (FORMÉ or FORMY)
  Alternative heraldic terms for a cross pattée.

  Civil Ensign, Guernsey

CROSS FORMY ROUNDED
  A heraldic term for a rounded cross.

  Arms and Flag of Paços de Ferreira, Portugal

CROSS FOURCHÉ (FOURCHÉE, FOURCHY or FORCHY)
  The heraldic term used when a cross (of whatever type) has forked ends – a cross fourchée or cross fourchy but see cross moline and forked cross (also cross of eight points 2), maltese cross, fourché).

  Flag of Frauenkappelen, Switzerland; Aircraft Marking 1941–44, Romania; Flag of Faido, Switzerland

  Please note that, unless dealing with a Greek cross (a straight-sided cross with arms of equal length), this term should never be used alone, but always with the type involved – for example a "cross pattée fourché" or "Latin cross fourché" as illustrated above.

CROSS-FUSILLY
  An alternative heraldic term for a cross-clechée.

  Flag of La Tallada d'Empordà, Spain

CROSS GRINGOLÉE
  The French heraldic term that covers a snakehead cross.

  Former Flag of Sittard, The Netherlands

CROSS GYRONNY
  The heraldic term for a cross that may or may not extend to the edges of a shield, flag or panel, but is composed of two tinctures meeting at the centre point and alternating either side of the vertical and horizontal meridians (thus giving it a three-dimensional appearance) – a gyronny cross – see gyronny and compare with cross-counterchanged [☞ not to be confused with!] (also dominican cross, faceted).

  Flag of Safiental commune, Switzerland; Example; Flag of Studnice, Czechia

  Notes
  a) Unless describing a plain cross throughout, this term should always be accompanied by a further description, for example a "cross fleury gyronny couped".
  b) A cross whose centre is obscured by a charge could be described as either a cross gyronny or a cross-counterchanged, however, the term ‘cross quartered’ has now come into use – see cross quartered.

CROSS HUMETTY
  Heraldic term to describe a cross which does not reach the edges of the flag, shield or panel it occupies – see greek cross 2) (also cross-couped and humetty).

  National Flag, Arms and Ensign of Switzerland

CROSS-LOZENGY
  An alternative heraldic term for a cross clechée.

  Arms and Flag of Verdal, Norway

CROSS MALTESE
  The correct heraldic term for a Maltese cross – see Maltese cross 1).

  Flag and Arms of Hvozd, Czechia

CROSS MOLINE
  The heraldic term for a cross which does not usually extend to the edges of a shield, flag, canton or panel, but whose ends are split into two curved pieces – an anchor or moline cross, a cross recercelé or a cross anchory (see also cross 2), cross fourché, fourché, snakehead cross).

  Flag of Houlle, France; Flag of Aalter, Belgium; Flag of Chapelle-lez-Herlaimont, Belgium

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