English edit

Noun edit

flag carrier (plural flag carriers)

  1. A person carrying a standard or flag, usually at sporting events and parades, previously on the battlefield.
  2. (business) A transportation company, such as a shipping or airline company, that is registered in a given state
  3. (politics) A strong supporter of a cause, or perhaps the strongest and most visible supporter of said cause.
    "Bill was the flag carrier of the movement to improve inner city education."
  4. A national airline (typically having the flag, or other national insignia, on the tail)
    • 2021 June 30, Philip Haigh, “Regional trains squeezed as ECML congestion heads north”, in RAIL, number 934, page 52:
      I'll be interested to see how this service does. It will be basic with fares to match, so will be akin to a budget airline taking on a flag-carrier.
  5. (military, nautical) An aircraft carrier serving as a flagship

Synonyms edit