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# Dictionary of Vexillology: I (In Abeyance – Inflamed)

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Last modified: 2026-08-29 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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- Introduction
- Table of Contents
- Index of Terms
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On this page:

- IN ABEYANCE
- IN ANNULO
- IN BASE
- IN BEND
- IN BEND SINISTER
- IN CHIEF
- IN COMMISSION
- IN FESS
- IN HER PIETY
- IN PALE
- IN PALL
- IN SALTIRE
- INACTIVE
- INCENSED
- INCLINED FLY
- INCRESCENT (or INCREMENT)
- INDENTATION(S)
- INDENTED
- INDENTED EDGE
- INDEPEDENTIST(S) FLAG
- INDIVIDUAL FLAG
- INDOOR FLAG
- INESCUTCHEON
- INFLAMED

IN ABEYANCE
  The term used when a flag or office is no longer in current use, but which may be re-introduced at some future date – see the second note following flag captain (also broad command pennant 2), flag of former entity, rank flag 1)).

  Rank Flag of a Marshal of France; Former First Class Commodore’s Broad Pennant, UK

  Please note that two examples would be the rank flag of Marshal of France (which office has no extant holder) and the broad pennant of a commodore first class (a rank in abeyance since 1958.

IN ANNULO
  The heraldic term used when a series of objects are set equidistant around a central point – see annulet and conjoined (also orled 3) and rosette).

  Flag of Ulvik, Norway; Flag of Samnanger, Norway; Flag of Hemne, Norway

IN BASE
  The heraldic term used when a charge or charges appear in the lower part of a shield, banner of arms or flag – see base 1) (also abased).

  Flag of the University of Leicester, UK

IN BEND
  The heraldic term used when an object, charge or charges on a shield, a banner of arms or any quartering thereof are placed diagonally from top left to bottom right across the field – but see bendwise 2) (also bend, and per bend, quartering 1)).

  Flag of Nidfurn, Switzerland; Banner of Arms of Surrey County Council, UK; Flag of Benken, Switzerland

IN BEND SINISTER
  The heraldic term used when an object, charge or charges on a shield, a banner of arms or any quartering thereof are placed diagonally from bottom left to top left right across the field – but see bendwise 2) (also bend sinister, per bend sinister and quartering 1)).

  Flag of Luzein, Switzerland; Flag of Wallisellen, Switzerland; Flag of Wolfenschiessen, Switzerland

IN CHIEF
  1) The heraldic term used when a charge or charges appear in the upper part of a shield, banner of arms or flag – see chief (also enhanced and shield).
  2) In English naval usage now obsolete, a term officially employed to describe a charge placed in the upper hoist canton – see canton 2).

  Villiers, Switzerland; English Red Ensign c1625–1707

IN COMMISSION
  In British RN, USN and some other usage, the phrase used to describe a warship that is active, manned and ready for combat – see masthead pennant 1).

  Commissioning Pennant of South Africa

IN FESS
  The heraldic term used when an object, charge or charges on a shield, a banner of arms or any quartering thereof appear in a horizontal position – but see fesswise 2) and the note below (also fess, per fess and quartering 1)).

  Flag of Rio de Moinhos, Portugal; Flag of Bilje, Croatia; Flag of Açoreira, Portugal

  Please note charges can be arranged in fess but orientated palewise as per the examples below, with would be blazoned as ‘three shovels palewise in fess’.

  Flag and Arms of Siljan, Norway

IN HER PIETY
  A heraldic phrase specifically relating to a (sometimes wounded) pelican feeding her chicks, and symbolizing sacrifice and compassion – a "pelican in her piety" – see vulned (also birds in heraldry).

  Flag of Lavertezzo, Switzerland; Arms of Neudorf bei Parndorf, Austria; Flag of Lučenec, Slovakia

IN PALE
  A heraldic term used when the charges on a shield, a banner of arms or any quartering thereof are arranged one above the other, or when an individual charge is seen in the vertical – but see palewise 2) (also pale, per pale and quartering 1)).

  Flag of Stara Pazova, Serbia; Flag of Stankovci, Croatia; Flag of Mandal, Norway

IN PALL
  The heraldic term used when the charges on a shield, a banner of arms or a flag are arranged in the form of a pall – see pall 2) and per pall.

  Flag of Sor-Odal, Norway; Flag of Masfjorden, Norway; Flag of Lavangen, Norway

IN SALTIRE
  The heraldic term used when two separate objects or charges are placed across each other diagonally on a flag, shield or banner of arms – saltirewise (see also saltire and per saltire).

  Arms of Babimost, Poland; Flag of Biel/Bienne, Switzerland; Flag of Milíkov, Czechia

INACTIVE
  In vexillology a term that may be used to describe when the rays of a star or sun emblem, or a radiating stripe, are straight-edged – see active (also active and inactive, radiating, rays 1) and star and its following note, sun emblem and sunburst).

  National Flag of Antigua-Barbuda; Flag of Sarawak, Malaysia; Flag of Bodø, Norway

INCENSED
  1) The heraldic term for when a wild beast has fire issuing from its mouth or eyes.
  2) A term sometimes incorrectly used in place of ‘inflamed’ – see inflamed and the note below.

  Arms and Flag of Gorlice, Poland

  Please note that in English heraldry only a wild beast should be described as “incensed”, and that other charges are “inflamed”.

INCLINED FLY
  A term used when the fly of a flag is cut diagonally so that the upper length of the flag is greater than its lower length – a type largely limited to Central Europe (see also length 1), schwenkel, swallow-tail(ed)).

  Flag of Jarocin County, Poland; Flag of Pleszew County, Poland

  Please note that this is not an established term, but has been introduced by the Editors since no suitable (or suitably descriptive) alternative could be found.

INCRESCENT (or INCREMENT)
  In heraldry see moon 2) with following note.

  Flag of Oron-la-Ville, Switzerland

INDENTATION(S)
  A term that may be used to describe the shape remaining at the fly of a flag or pennant where that fly has been cut into two or more tails – see swallow-tail(ed) (also hussar cut, palm, pennant 2), swallow-tail and tongue, tongues).

  Flag of Banská Bystrica, Slovakia; Flag of Bojná, Slovakia

INDENTED
  1) The heraldic term used when the edge of an ordinary or the partition line on a shield, banner of arms or flag is notched as in dancetty but with smaller/narrower teeth – endented.
  2) See embattled.

  Flag of Ulstein, Norway; Arms and Flag of Wunstorf, Germany

INDENTED EDGE
  See scalloped 1).

  Two Merchant Flags, Portugal 16th/17th century

INDEPEDENTIST(S) FLAG
  See flag of a separatist movement.

  Flag of the Sulawesi Separatist Movement, Indonesia

INDIVIDUAL FLAG
  In U.S. army usage, the flag denoting an officer's rank – see rank flag 1) (also distinguishing flag 3), flag of command and personal flag 4)).

  Individual/Rank Flag of a Brigadier General, US Army

INDOOR FLAG
  A flag made expressly for display inside a building and sometimes fringed. It is often made from more costly materials, is enhanced by embroidered detail, and is fitted with a sleeve for attachment to a staff – a dress flag or flag of ceremony (see also ceremonial flag 1), cord, embroider, flag spreader, fringe, sleeve 2), staff 2) and tassels).

  Indoor Flag of The Secretary of Agriculture, US; Indoor Flag of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, US; Indoor Flag of The Secretary of The Interior, US

INESCUTCHEON
  The heraldic term for one shield appearing within another (usually – but not invariably – at its centre point) “a heart shield”, but see notes below (also banner of arms, coat of arms, escutcheon, escutcheon of pretence 1), escutcheon of pretence 2), overall and quartering 1)).

  Flag of Friedrichstadt, Germany; Flag of Kalkar, Germany; Flag of Varaždin County, Croatia

  Notes
  a) Please note that some heraldic sources propose that this term should also be used when more than one shield appears within another, but it is suggested that a suitable glossary or heraldic dictionary should be consulted for further information.
  b) However, one further (authoritative) source states that an inescutcheon should be placed on or near the fess-point, and that the term “escutcheon” be used for any that are seen in another position – see honour-point 2).

INFLAMED
  The heraldic term used when a charge is shown with flames coming from it – ardent, enflamed or flamed – but see incensed 1) (also flamant).

  Flag of Lugaggia, Switzerland; Flag of Gornja Stubica, Croatia; Flag of Geroldswil, Switzerland

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