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# Dictionary of Vexillology: S (Signal Flag – Smaller Arms)

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Last modified: 2026-07-11 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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- SIGNAL FLAG
- SIGNAL HOIST (or GROUP)
- SIGNIFER
- SIGNUM (or SIGNA)
- SILKS
- SIMPLE BICOLOUR
- SIMPLE CHEVRON
- SIMPLE PALL
- SIMPLE PILE
- SIMPLE TRIANGLE
- SIMPLE TRIBAND
- SIMPLE TRICOLOUR
- SINGLE APPLIQUÉ
- SINISTER
- SINISTER EDGE
- SINISTER FACING
- SINISTER HOIST (HOISTED or HOISTING)
- SITTING
- SKULL AND CROSS-BONES
- SLANTED DISPLAY DESIGN (or FLAG)
- SLEDGE (or SLEDGING) FLAGS
- SLEEVE
- SLIPPED
- SMALLER (or SMALL) ARMS (or SMALLER/SMALL COAT OF ARMS)

SIGNAL FLAG
  Any of a number of straight-sided flags as well as various triangular and squared-ended tapered pennants, of a generally simple, recognized design which, when flown singly or together are used to transmit messages in an established code, especially at sea – see numeral flag and numeral pennant (also address group, bunting tosser, call sign hoist, church pennant, distinction pennant 1), dressing ship, flags 1), international code of signal flags, flag lieutenant, flag locker, make her number, marryat’s code, pendant number, preparative, repeating frigates, signal hoist, telegraph flag, yeoman of signals.)

  Number 3, Number 9 and the Finishing Pennant in Popham's Code as amended in 1803

SIGNAL HOIST (or GROUP)
  A group of signal flags hoisted together – a flag signal, flag hoist, a hoist, a hoist of flags or signal group (see also address group, call sign hoist, flag of distress 2), international code of signal flags, make her number).

  ZD2 (Zulu-Delta-2) in the International Code of Signal Flags (and numeric) or "Please Report Me to Lloyds, London"

SIGNIFER
  The bearer of a signum (see "signum" below).

SIGNUM (or SIGNA)
  1) Generically and in the plural (signa) all the vexilla, flags and vexilloids used by the ancient Roman army (see also draco, eagle 2), flammula, vexilloid 2) and vexillum).
  2) Specifically and in the singular (signum) the vexilloid of a maniple, or subdivision of a Roman legion (see also vexilloid 2)).
  3) The similar vexilloids of auxiliary units.

  Notes
  a) A “maniple” was one-third of a cohort (which was itself one-tenth of a legion) and in the first Century AD a standard maniple would consist of about 160 men.
  b) Signum is the Latin for “sign” as semeion was in classical Greek.

SILKS
  See company colours.

  Silk/Company Colour, No 1 Company, 1st Battalion of The Irish Guards, UK (Graham Bartram)

SIMPLE BICOLOUR
  See bicolour 2).

  Civil Flag of Burgenland, Austria; Flag of Andorra 1806–1866

SIMPLE CHEVRON
  See chevron 1).

  Flag of Herzele, Belgium

SIMPLE PALL
  See pall.

  Flag of Khashuri, Georgia

SIMPLE PILE
  See pile.

  The Flag Institute 1971–2016, UK

SIMPLE TRIANGLE
  See triangle 1).

  National Flag of Czechia

SIMPLE TRIBAND
  See triband 2).

  Flag of Mons, Belgium; National Flag of Austria

SIMPLE TRICOLOUR
  See tricolour 2).

  National Flag of Italy; Civil Ensign of Hungary

SINGLE APPLIQUÉ
  A term that may be used when the appliqué technique is applied to one side of a flag, and the field then cut out to provide visibility of the appliquéd section from the reverse – see appliqué (also double appliqué).

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

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

SINISTER FACING
  In heraldry see contourné and its following note.

  Flag of Baselland, Switzerland; Flag of uMlalazi, South Africa

SINISTER HOIST (HOISTED or HOISTING)
  A term used when the obverse of a flag is depicted (or is manufactured) with its hoist to the observer’s right in the Arabic tradition – right-hoisted – but see dexter hoist and "sinister" above (also hoist 1), reverse).

  National Flag of Abu Dhabi

SITTING
  The heraldic term for (a beast) sitting is sejant.

  Flag of Vegårshei, Norway

SKULL AND CROSS-BONES
  See jolly roger.

  Pirate Flag: The Skull and Crossbones

SLANTED DISPLAY DESIGN
  See flag for slanted display.

  Flag of the Army For Slanted Display, Bolivia (fotw & CS)

SLEDGE (or SLEDGING) FLAGS
  In UK and some other usage now largely obsolete, the flags (of varying design) that were flown from the sledges of several polar expeditions in order to make them more visible from a distance and for reasons of esprit de corps.

  Flag used by the 1875 Expedition to the North Pole

SLEEVE
  1) See heading.
  2) Especially of an indoor flag, parade flag or military colour, a tube of material at the hoist into which the staff is inserted – an open sleeve (see also closed sleeve, colour 2), nails, tab, staff 2)).

  Queen’s Colour, The 28th Regiment of Foot (North Gloucestershire Regiment), UK c1880; Regimental Colour The Gloucester Regiment, UK 1952

  Please note that the increasingly (but by no means entirely) obsolete practice of fixing a flag to its pole or staff by a series of attached loops is almost certainly based on the earlier use of ties (see also ring 4)).

SLIPPED
  A heraldic term used in place of couped when applied to the stalks of trefoils, flowers, leaves and sprigs of foliage – see couped 2) (also fructed, leaved).

  Flags of Sâles, Flaach and Mollens, Switzerland

  Please note that a fruit or leaf etc. without a stalk is neither slipped nor couped.

SMALLER (or SMALL) ARMS (or SMALLER/SMALL COAT OF ARMS)
  See lesser arms under arms.

  Smaller/Small Arms of Czechia and Tallinn, Estonia

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