Glossary of vexillology

Flag terminology is the nomenclature, or system of terms, used in vexillology, the study of flags, to describe precisely the parts, patterns, and other attributes of flags and their display.

Description of standard flag parts and terms

Basic patterns in flags

Flags often inherit traits seen in traditional European heraldry designs and as a result patterns often share names.

Flag of Sri Lanka

Flag of Sri Lanka

Flag of Taiwan

Flag of Taiwan

Flag of Panama

Flag of Panama

Flag of Switzerland

Flag of Switzerland

Flag of Georgia

Flag of Georgia

Flag of Denmark

Flag of Denmark

Flag of Guinea

Flag of Guinea

Flag of Germany

Flag of Germany

Flag of Bhutan

Flag of Bhutan

Flag of the Philippines

Flag of the Philippines

Flag of South Africa

Flag of South Africa

Flag of Scotland

Flag of Scotland

Techniques in flag display

Illustrations

Flag illustrations generally depict flags flying from the observer's point of view from left to right, the view known as the obverse (or "front"); the other side is the reverse (or "back"). There are some exceptions, notably some Islamic flags inscribed in Arabic, for which the obverse is defined as the side with the hoist to the observer's right.