Guidon

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɡaɪdn̩/

Definitions

1. A banner that serves to identify a military unit or organization, typically displayed in processes or gatherings
2. A flag utilized to represent a group, often showcased during ceremonial events or parades
3. A decorative standard used for identification purposes in military formations and ceremonial occasions

Etymology: Before it named a small flag on a bicycle handlebar, "guidon" was a military banner, and the older sense is the one that matters for the word's history. The Italian "guidone" was a standard carried by a company of soldiers, and it passed into French as "guidon" with the same meaning. Its root is "guide," which in the sense of a leader or someone who points the way fits the job of a flag that tells troops where to rally. The Italian source is itself built from "guida," meaning guide, with the augmentative suffix "-one" added, so the word literally names a large marker that leads or directs. English borrowed the term from French, and it kept the military sense of an identifying banner carried in ceremonies and parades.

Synonyms: banner, flag, standard, ensign