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# Dictionary of Vexillology: C (Clad – Cognisance)

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Last modified: 2026-07-25 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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On this page:

- CLAD
- CLAD IN ARMOUR
- CLAN STANDARD
- CLAPPER
- CLASP
- CLASS FLAG
- CLAWED
- CLEAN MARINA FLAG (or PENNANT)
- CLEAT
- CLEW(S)
- CLIMANT
- CLIP
- CLIP AND GROMMET
- CLOSE UP (or CLOSED UP)
- CLOSED ROYAL CROWN
- CLOSED SLEEVE
- CLOTHED
- CLOVEN BULLNOSE
- CLOVEN DESCATE
- CLOVERLEAF
- CLOVERSTEM(S) (or CLOVER STEM)
- CLUB PENNANT
- CMYK
- COACHWHIP PENNANT
- COAT
- COAT OF ARMS (or COA)
- COCKADE
- COCKATRICE or (COCATRICE)
- CODE PENNANT
- COG
- COG-WHEEL (COG WHEEL or COGWHEEL)<
- COGNISANCE

CLAD
  A term sometimes used in continental heraldry in place of its English heraldic equivalents of habited, habillé or vested.

  Flag of Münchwilen, Switzerland; Flag of Könnern, Germany; Flag of Damvant, Switzerland

CLAD IN ARMOUR
  1) In vexillology see armoured 1).
  2) In heraldry see harnysed.

  Flag of Caldas de São Jorge, Portugal; Flag of Alvaneu, Switzerland; Flag of Kriegsfeld, Germany

CLAN STANDARD
  A term sometimes (inaccurately) used to describe the heraldic standard of a Scottish Laird or clan chief – see battle standard, pageant standard, great standard and standard 4) (also pinsel).

  Standard of the Laird of Clan McDonald of McDonald (worthpoint.com)

CLAPPER
  The internal device which strikes a musical note when a bell is swung.

  Flag of Kallnach, Switzerland

CLASP
  See bar 3).

CLASS FLAG
  In British RAF usage, the alternative name for a rank flag – see rank flag 1).

  RAF – Air Chief Marshal, Air Marshal, Air Vice-Marshall, Air Commodore

CLAWED
  In heraldry see armed 2).

  Flag and Arms of Bezverov, Czechia

CLEAN MARINA FLAG (or PENNANT)
  In US usage the flag (or pennant) flown by those marine facilities that have reached an acceptable standard under various state sponsored programs – see blue flag (also pumpout flag).

  Clean Marina Flags: South Carolina, Virginia, Washington

CLEAT
  A metal fitting with two arms, which is attached to the lower part of a flag pole or mast for securing the halyard (see also belaying pin).

  Flag of Fairlead Integrated (U.S.)

CLEW(S)
  A term for the lower fly corner or both lower corners of a flag – particularly (but not exclusively) a religious/processional banner or similar – to which a line or lines are attached so as to prevent unwanted movement – particularly in windy conditions (see also banner 3) and outrigger pole).

CLIMANT
  In heraldry a term that described an animal (typically a goat) in a climbing or rampant position.

  Arms of Dünserberg, Austria (fahnen-gaertner.com)

CLIP
  See Inglefield clip.

CLIP AND GROMMET
  An efficient method of hoisting a flag much favoured in the US, whereby clips attached to the halyard are slipped into grommets on the flag – see grommet 1) and Inglefield clip (also appendix I and running eye and toggle).

  (Željko Heimer)

CLOSE UP (or CLOSED UP)
  (adj) The naval term for when a flag or pennant is hoisted right up to the truck (see also also code pennant, dip, at the).

CLOSED ROYAL CROWN
  See crown 1).

  Flag of Los Corrales, Spain

CLOSED SLEEVE
  A technical term for the sleeve of a flag (usually a parade flag) which is closed at its upper end so that the staff (when inserted) does not project above the top of that flag (see also sleeve 2), staff 2)).

CLOTHED
  In heraldry see clad, habited and vested).

  Flag of Bloke, Slovenia; Flag of Oberägeri, Switzerland; Flag of Marijanci, Croatia

CLOVEN BULLNOSE
  See double tailed descate.

CLOVEN DESCATE
  See descate.

  Guidon of the Metropolitan Police Mounted Branch, UK

CLOVERLEAF
  In heraldry see trefoil.

  Flag and Arms of Tzum, The Netherlands

CLOVERSTEM(S) (or CLOVER STEM)
  The term – and a direct translation of the German Kleestengeln or Kleestengel – for a charge largely (but not exclusively) used on heraldic birds (especially eagles in European heraldry), which may be described as a crescent-like shape (usually but not invariably) ornamented with trefoil/clover leaf elements either at one or both ends and/or in the middle, and sometimes visible only on the wings – Kleestengeln or Kleestengel (see also crescent 2)).

  Flag of Brandenburg, Germany; Flag of Brodeslavy, Czechia; Flag of Porta Westfalica, Germany

CLUB PENNANT
  A small triangular flag designed to be hung vertically usually charged with the emblem and livery colours of a sporting club – a vertical pennant (see also pennant 2 and souvenir flags).

  Pennants of Deutscher Ruder Sport Verband, Hamburger Motorboot Verband, Deutscher Kanuverband, Germany

CMYK
  The Initials for Cyan, Yellow, Magenta and Black, being the four primary shades used in the print process to create any colour, and an abbreviation for the four-colour printing system (see also cable number, british colour codes, pantone matching system and international colour code).

  CMYK for the National Flag of Sweden – Blue: 10% Yellow, 50% Magenta and 100% Cyan, Yellow: 100% Yellow and 20% Magenta

COACHWHIP PENNANT
  See masthead pennant 2) and whip pennant 2)).

  Coachwhip/Masthead Pennant, Italy

COAT
  A heraldic term that refers to each individual section or quartering on a shield or banner of arms – see coat of arms 2) (also impaled, quartering and shield 2)).

COAT OF ARMS (or COA)
  1) On flags and generically, the heraldic insignia of an individual or family, or of a corporate institution such as a nation, province or municipality, or of a commercial enterprise. In general terms the coat of arms can contain all the elements that make up a full set of armorial bearings – a COA or arms – but see 2) below (also lesser arms, middle arms and state arms 1) under arms).
  2) In heraldry, as above but the term only refers to the shield from a full set of armorial bearings – an escutcheon or arms (see also banner of arms).

  Flag of Kula Norinska; Arms of Falkland Islands, British Overseas Territory; Flag of Ðelekovec, Croatia

  Notes
  a) A full set of armorial bearings can include (for example) shield, supporters, helmet, torse, crest, mantling, compartment, motto, collar etc., and whilst many of the terms used are illustrated in Appendix IV and/or briefly defined herein, it is suggested that a suitable glossary or heraldic dictionary be consulted for full details.
  b) The emblems of some countries such as those of Mexico or Italy – whilst conforming to the definition of that term as detailed herein – are officially described as “coats of arms” (see also emblem, national).

  National Coat of Arms/Emblem of Mexico

COCKADE
  1) A rosette or bow, generally in national or livery colours, and sometimes used to decorate a staff below the finial (see also cravat 1)).
  2) A rosette or bow formerly worn by both military personnel and civilians (largely on the hat or shako) to indicate patriotic or political loyalties and still sometimes seen.
  3) See roundel 1).

  National Flag and Cockade of Colombia; Cockade and National Flag of Peru

  Please note that the cockade was the precursor of many national flags (those of Argentina and France being two examples).

COCKATRICE (or COCATRICE)
  In heraldry see dragon and its following note.

  Flag of Porrentruy, Switzerland

CODE PENNANT
  A tapered, square-ended pennant (or trapezoid) used in the International Code of Signal Flags to indicate a decimal point, but more importantly that a message has been seen by the intended recipient when hoisted at the dip, and/or that it has been received and understood when closed up – the answering pennant (see also pendant coupee, signal flag, trapezoid 2)).

  Code pennant

  Please note that this pennant is also included in the NATO Code of Signals, but (as opposed to the meanings given above) is raised at the start of a signal hoist to indicate that any following message must be read using the International Code.

COG
  1) See cog-wheel.
  2) A type of single-masted, medieval trading vessel (usually shown with fore and aft castles as equipped for war) – but see ancient ship, nef and the note below.

  Flag of Suez, Egypt; Arms and Flag of Kostrena, Croatia

  Please note with regard to 2) that the terms cog and nef both refer to a single-masted vessel and are generally considered interchangeable, however, strictly speaking the cog was most often steered by a long oar, whereas the nef invariably had a stern mounted rudder.

COG-WHEEL (COG WHEEL or COGWHEEL)
  A toothed wheel used in mechanical engineering to transmit power, and usually symbolic of industry or industrial workers – a toothed or gear-wheel – but see waterwheel.

  Flag of Grevesmühlen, Germany; Flag of Le Sentier, Switzerland; Flag of the Labour Party, Turkey

COGNISANCE
  1) In flags a medieval term, now obsolete, for a lance pennon – see lance pennon 1).
  2) In heraldry as above, but the term can include everything by which an armigerous person is known.

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