gonfanon

English

Various heraldic gonfanons.

Etymology

From Old French gonfanon.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡɑːn.fəˌnɑːn/, /-nən/

Noun

gonfanon (plural gonfanons)

1. Alternative form of gonfalon
   • 1922, William Gordon Perrin, British Flags, their early history, and their development at sea, page 14:

     At the same time, a companion figure, which from the mutilated superscription in the tapestry appears to be Eustace of Boulogne, lifts this gonfanon high in the air with his left hand while with the right he points to the Duke's face; a significant action, calling attention in a twofold manner to William's presence.

2. (heraldry) A banner with three "tails", typically with the middle one longer than the others, and three loops at the top representing where it would have been attached to a pole.

French

Alternative forms

• gonfalon

Etymology

From Old French gonfanon.

Noun

gonfanon m (plural gonfanons)

1. gonfalon

See also

• bannière, drapeau, enseigne, étendard

Further reading

• “gonfanon”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Old French

Alternative forms

• gonfalon

Etymology

Borrowed from Frankish *gunþifanō, from Proto-Germanic *gunþifanô.

Noun

gonfanon oblique singular, m (oblique plural gonfanons, nominative singular gonfanons, nominative plural gonfanon)

1. gonfalon

Derived terms

• gonfanonier

 

Descendants

• French: gonfanon
• → Middle Dutch: gonfanoen
  • Dutch: gonfanon
• → Middle English: gonfanon
  • English: gonfanon

Further reading

• Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l’ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (gonfanon, supplement)