Gonfalons

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of banner or flag often used in medieval ceremonies, typically displaying a coat of arms or emblem
2. They are known for their elongated shape and decorative fringe, serving both symbolic and decorative purposes
3. Frequently associated with heraldry, these flags would be displayed in processions to represent noble families or organizations

Etymology: Gonfalons is the plural of "gonfalon," a banner hung from a crossbar and cut into streamers or tails at its lower edge. The word came into Middle English from Old French "gonfalon," which in turn was borrowed from a Frankish word reconstructed as "gunþifanō," built from elements meaning roughly "war" and "banner" or "cloth." The Germanic root behind it, Proto-Germanic "gunþifanô," shows that the object was named for its military purpose long before it became a heraldic or ceremonial one. Because the word passed through French, English speakers inherited a term for a Germanic battle flag rather than a Latin one, which is unusual for a word describing something so ornamental. The plural form simply follows the regular English pattern of adding "-s" to a noun that ends in a consonant.

Synonyms: banners, flags, pennants