GONFALON

Etymology

Noun

gonfalon (plural gonfalons)

A standard or ensign, consisting of a pole with a crosspiece from which a banner is suspended, especially as used in church processions, but also for civic and military display.

Source: Wiktionary


Gon"fa*lon, Gon"fa*non, n. Etym: [OE. gonfanoun, OF. gonfanon, F. gonfalon, the same word as F. confalon, name of a religious brotherhood, fr. OHG. gundfano war flag; gund war (used in comp., and akin to AS. gu\'eb) + fano cloth, flag; akin to E. vane; cf. AS. gu\'ebfana. See Vane, and cf. Confalon.]

1. The ensign or standard in use by certain princes or states, such as the mediæval republics of Italy, and in more recent times by the pope.

2. A name popularly given to any flag which hangs from a crosspiece or frame instead of from the staff or the mast itself. Standards and gonfalons, 'twixt van and rear, Stream in the air. Milton.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

23 February 2025

BARGAIN

(noun) an advantageous purchase; “she got a bargain at the auction”; “the stock was a real buy at that price”


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Coffee Trivia

According to Guinness World Records, the most massive cup of coffee contained 22,739.14 liters and was created by Alcaldía Municipal de Chinchiná (Colombia) at Parque de Bolívar, Chinchiná, Caldas, Colombia, on 15 June 2019. Fifty people worked for more than a month to build this giant cup. The drink prepared was Arabic coffee.

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