Banderola

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A decorative ribbon or banner often used in heraldry or art that displays a message or emblem
2. A small, flowing piece of fabric that is typically attached to a staff or pole and used for decoration or identification
3. An ornamental strip or band that carries text or images, frequently found in manuscripts or as part of a graphic design

Etymology: The root meaning here is a strip of cloth. Italian "bandiera", "flag", descends from a Germanic word for a band or strip, the same ancestor that gave English "band". Italian added a diminutive ending to make "banderuola", a little flag, and the most familiar example was the pennant on a weathervane, which swings to show the direction of the wind. The Spanish form "banderola" kept that small-flag sense, and English borrowed it for a long, narrow pennant of the kind carried on ships and in processions. Its ribbon-like shape also led artists and architects to use the term for a scroll bearing an inscription.