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# Dictionary of Vexillology: H (Hochflagge – Honourable Ordinaries)

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Last modified: 2026-07-04 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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- HOCHFLAGGE (HOCHFORMATFLAGGE or HOCHFORMATFAHNE)
- HOIST
- HOIST-CHEVRON
- HOIST-DIAGONAL
- HOIST-TRIANGLE (or HOISTTRIANGLE)
- HOIST FLAG (or BURGEE)
- HOIST OF FLAGS
- HOIST STRIP
- HOISTED (or HOISTING) FLAG
- HOISTLINE (or HOIST LINE)
- HOLIDAY COLOURS (or COLORS)
- HOLY LAMB (or HOLY LAMB OF GOD)
- HOLY SPIRIT'S CROWN
- HOMEWARD BOUND PENNANT
- HONORARY DISTINCTION(S)
- HONOUR (or HONOR) BANNER
- HONOUR (or HONOR) ENSIGN
- HONOUR (or HONOR) FLAG
- HONOUR (or HONOR) JACK
- HONOUR (or HONOR) POINT
- HONOUR (or HONOR) POSITION
- HONOURABLE (or HONORABLE) ORDINARIES

HOCHFLAGGE (HOCHFORMATFLAGGE or HOCHFORMATFAHNE)
  See vertically hoisted flag 1) and its following note.

  Hochflagge/Vertically Hoisted Flag of Sankt Wolfgang, Germany

HOIST
  1) That edge or section of a flag, which lies next to the flagpole, mast or staff – the distance line (see also Appendix I, fly, heading, obverse, reverse).
  2) See signal hoist.
  3) (v) The act of raising a flag.
  4) The width of a flag.

HOIST-CHEVRON
  See chevron 1).

  Flag of Santa Bárbara d'Oeste, Brazil

HOIST-DIAGONAL
  A direct translation of the Dutch term hijsdiagonaal – but see bend, per bend, descending diagonal 2).

  Flag of Klášterská Lhota, Czechia

HOIST-TRIANGLE (or HOISTTRIANGLE)
  The term – and a direct translation of the Dutch hijsdriehoek – sometimes used to describe a triangular charge based on the hoist – a simple triangle, or (inaccurately) a simple pile/triangle throughout – but see pile 1) and triangle 1) (also equilateral triangle).

  National Flag of the Philippines; Flag of Benafer, Spain; National Flag of the Czechia

HOIST FLAG (or BURGEE)
  1) See hoist 3).
  2) In UK usage, that flag (or burgee) that must be flown by ordinary members of the Royal Yachting Association – see yachting crown and its following note.

  Ordinary member’s House Flag and Burgee of the Royal Yachting Association, UK

HOIST OF FLAGS
  See signal hoist (also international code of signal flags and signal flag).

  US4 (Uniform-Sierra-4) in the International Code of Signals or “Nothing Can be Done Until The Weather Moderates”

HOIST STRIP
  See heading.

HOISTED (or HOISTING) FLAG
  Those terms – and translations of the German “hissflagge” or “hissfahne” used in German language vexillology – to describe a conventional flag (that is a flag generally longer than it is wide) which is hoisted on a flagpole in the normal way – but see the note below (also banner 2), cross bar, flag 1), gonfalon 1), hanging flag, outrigger flag, vertically hoisted flag 1)).

  Hoisted Flag and Banner of Albisheim, Germany

  Please note that this term is only employed when such a flag is presented (either visually or in discussion) with another – such as a banner, gonfalon or hanging flag – that is designed to be hung from a cross bar or is otherwise vertically orientated.

HOISTLINE (or HOIST LINE)
  A piece of rope sewn into the heading of a flag to which the toggle (at the top of the heading) and becket (or eye splice) in the other end below the flag, or Inglefield clips (at both ends) are attached and by means of which the flag is bent on (or attached) to the halyard (see also Appendix I).

  Please note that the hoistline is described as a distance line in US military specifications.

HOLIDAY COLOURS (or COLORS)
  In US naval usage, a larger than usual set of colours flown by a vessel or shore installation on holidays and other special occasions (see also ceremonial ensign, garrison flag, sunday ensign).

HOLY LAMB (or HOLY LAMB OF GOD)
  See agnus dei.

  Arms and Former Flag of Preston, UK

HOLY SPIRIT'S CROWN
  See crown of the holy spirit.

  Flag and Arms of Manigoto, Portugal

HOMEWARD BOUND PENNANT
  In USN usage and in some others the term for a paying off pennant.

HONORARY DISTINCTION(S)
  A collective term for any addition (or additions) to a flag, colour or arms that is (or are) granted in recognition of an act (or acts) of courage – see augmentation of honour and battle honour.

  Arms and Government Ensign of Malta 1943–64

HONOUR (or HONOR) BANNER
  The term – and a direct translation of the German Ehrenbanner – for those flags (usually decorated with a fringe) that were awarded to various non-military organizations for excellent performance by the former GDR and possibly other Communist bloc countries – but see award flag (also banner 3), touring flag).

  Honour Banner for Anti-Imperialist Solidarity, GDR (Eugene Ipavec); Honour Banner for Efforts in Developing the Town of Leipzig, GDR (Eugene Ipavec)

HONOUR (or HONOR) ENSIGN
  See ensign of honour.

  Ensign of Honour, Yugoslavia 1937–41

HONOUR (or HONOR) FLAG
  1) The flag, now obsolete, that was selected to represent those nations which were working towards world peace prior to the foundation of the United Nations Organization, and in official/semi-official use (particularly, but not exclusively, in the USA) from 1943 to c1948 – the four freedoms flag.
  2) The flag that was presented to those towns and districts in Australia, as well as that presented by other similar schemes in (for example) the US and Canada, who subscribed twice their quota of funds to the Commonwealth Government's Seventh War Loan in 1918.
  3) One of the flags presented in 1832 by the government of Belgium to honour those municipalities who had made a significant contribution towards the independence of that cuntry.
  4) See flag of honour.

  The Honour Flag, Australia 1918; Flag of Honour, Austria-Hungary 1850–1918; The Honour Flag

  Please note with regard to 1) that the red bars – optionally blue or green and possibly yellow – were said to represent the four freedoms (freedom of speech and expression, freedom of every person to worship God in his own way, freedom from want and freedom from fear) for which the Second World War was being fought, and that the alternative name of four freedoms flag was in occasional use until 1945.

HONOUR (or HONOR) JACK
  See jack of honour.

  Honour Jack/Jack of Honour (Forces Navales Françaises Libres), France

HONOUR (or HONOR) POINT
  1) On flags, the term for the position where the colour or charge with the greatest or highest symbolism is placed, almost always the upper hoist canton – point of honour, sometimes called the place of honour – but see the notes below (also canton 1), quarter 1), union).
  2) In heraldry, a point on the shield slightly above the exact centre – the fesse or fess-point.

  1)
  National Flag of Myanmar 1974–2010; Flag of Schwyz, Switzerland; Flag of Bahia, Brazil; National Flag of PR of China

  2)

  Notes:
  a) With regard to 1), not to be confused with the position of honour.
  b) Also regarding 1), evidence suggests this basically heraldic term has Continental European origins.

HONOUR (or HONOR) POSITION
  See position of honour.

HONOURABLE (or HONORABLE) ORDINARIES
  In heraldry see ordinary.

  Examples: Chief; Cross; Pale; Saltire; Fess; Pile; Chevron; Quarter; Bend

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