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Dictionary of Vexillology: O (Or – Owner Absent Flag)

On this page:

OR
ORARIUM
ORB
ORBICULAR CROSS
ORDER IN COUNCIL
ORDINARY
ORDINARY PENNANT (or PENDANT)
ORGANIZATIONAL COLOUR (or COLOR)
ORGANIZATIONAL FLAG
ORIFLAMME
ORIGINAL FLAG
ORLE (or ORLED)
ORTHODOX CROSS
ORTHOGONAL
OTSILA
OUTER BORDER
OUTER EDGE
OUTER EDGES
OUTRIGGER FLAG
OUTRIGGER POLE
OVER
OVERALL (or OVER ALL)
OVERLAID
OWNER ABSENT FLAG

OR

A heraldic term for the metal gold, generally (but not invariably) shown as yellow in flags – but see note below (also ‘argent’, ‘embroider’, ‘metals’ and ‘rule of tincture’).

Please note that Or is sometimes seen as gold leaf or metallic paint, or in an embroidered design, as gold thread.

ORARIUM

See 'banderole 2)'.

ORB

A stylized globe usually surmounted by a cross, originally symbolic of Christ’s dominion of this world and still largely (but by no means exclusively) a symbol of monarchy – a globus cruciger (see also ‘crown’ and ‘sceptre’).

Flag of Vilar de Nantes, Portugal; Flag of Remetschwil, Switzerland; Flag of Portela Susã, Portugal

ORBICULAR CROSS

See ‘rounded cross’.

Flag of Ferreira do Zêzere, Portugal

ORDER IN COUNCIL

See ‘royal order in council’.

Flag of Guernsey Established by Royal Order in Council

ORDINARY

The heraldic term used to describe a simple charge on a shield or banner of arms as illustrated below.

Examples: Chief; Cross; Pale; Saltire; Fess; Pile; Chevron; Quarter; Bend

Please note that the honourable (or main) ordinaries are said to be the chief, cross, pale, saltire, fess, pile, chevron, quarter and bend, and whilst these terms are briefly described separately herein, however, it is suggested that a suitable glossary or dictionary of heraldry be consulted for full or further details.

ORDINARY PENNANT (or PENDANT)

1) See ‘masthead pennant 1)’
2) See ‘common pendant’).

Masthead/Ordinary Pennant, US; Common/Tricolour Pendant, England then UK 1661–c1850

ORGANIZATIONAL COLOUR (or COLOR)

See ‘parade flag 2)’ (‘colour 2)’ and ‘colours 2)’).

A Parade Flag of the Royal British Legion

ORGANIZATIONAL FLAG

1) Generically, the flag of a non-profit making organization of national rather than international significance, or of the national/district branch of an international entity, for example the UK National Trust or the Boy Scouts of America (see also ‘international flag 1)’).

2) Specifically, in US army usage – see ‘parade flag 2)’ (also ‘colour 2)’ and ‘colours 2’).

The National Trust, UK; Boules Federation 2013–2015, Croatia The Boy Scouts of America, US

ORIFLAMME

The gonfanon of St Denis, the war flag of medieval France and reputedly adapted from that of Charlemagne. The exact design is uncertain and has been variously described; however, it was almost certainly of red silk, possibly triple-tailed and charged with a number of gold disks surrounded by red roses outlined in blue – the auriflamma (see also ‘gonfanon’).

One interpretation of the Oriflamme

ORIGINAL FLAG

1) See model flag.

2) A term that may also be used to describe the design upon which a flag family was based, or that which formed the basis of any subsequent changes – see flag family (also pan-African colours, pan-Arab colours and pan-Slavic colours).

Arab Revolt Flag 1917 and Flag of Yukon Territory, Canada (design details established by type/model/original flag)

ORLE (or ORLED)

1) The heraldic terms for a border that is inset from, and parallel to, the edges of a shield, banner of arms or flag, and which may consist of an unbroken line or be made up by a number of separate charges – for example an embattled orle as illustrated below – but see ‘inset border’ (also ‘border’, ‘charge’, ‘inset’ and ‘double-tressure’).

2) See ‘garland 1)’.

3) The heraldic terms that also covers a series of charges in a circular (or near circular) pattern inset from the edges of a shield, banner of arms or flag, for example an orle of ‘mullets’ and the European Union flag – but see also ‘in annulo’.

Flag of the Customs Administration, Turkey; Flag of Palmela, Portugal; Flag of a Naval General, Croatia

Please note with regard to 1) that some heraldic writers would consider the inset narrow borders on the Turkish and Croatian flags illustrated above as a “tressure” – see ‘tressure’.

ORTHODOX CROSS

A term that describes a cross with three horizontal arms but whose lowest horizontal arm is canted, and considered to be representative of the Eastern Orthodox Churches – a three-armed, triple-armed or triple cross – but see papal cross (also cross 2), cross of Lorraine, St. Nino's cross and two and a half armed cross).

Flag of Perm City, Russia; Example, Flag of the Church of the Life Giving Trinity, Pyongyang (reddit.com)

ORTHOGONAL

1) (Adj) Generically a term meaning rectangular or pertaining to or involving right angles.

2) (Adj) In vexillology a term which may be used when the arms of a saltire – or objects placed per saltire – are set at right angles to each other (particularly when the flag upon which it – or they – appear is rectangular rather than square) (see also ‘per saltire’ and ‘saltire’)

3) (Adj) In vexillology the term may also be used when the fork in the fly of a swallow-tailed flag forms a right angle at the crutch (see also ‘crutch’, and and ‘swallow-tail(ed)’).

Flag of Chmeľnica, Slovakia; Flag of Nenince, Slovakia; Flag of Strážske, Slovakia

OTSILA

See ‘firesteel’.

Flag of the Serbian Orthodox Church

OUTER BORDER

The term that may be used when two borders appear within, or next to each other, to describe the one which appears on the outside edge � see ‘inner border 1)’ (also ‘border’ and ‘inset border’).

Naval Jack and Ensign 1790–1794, France; Naval Jack of Croatia.

OUTER EDGE

A term that may be used in describing the edge of a hanging flag that is furthest from the building to which the pole is attached, and equivalent to the top edge of a conventionally hoisted flag � but see ‘outer edges’ (also ‘hanging flag’ and ‘inner edge’).

Please note that this term has been introduced by the Editors as no established alternative could be found.

OUTER EDGES

A term that has been used to describe those edges (or design elements) of a flag or pennant that do not lie (or are not present) along the hoist edge � for example a border or a fringe � but see ‘border of three’ and ‘outer edge’ (also ‘border’, ‘fringe’ and ‘hoist 1)’).

Flag of Prince Edward Island, Canada; Flag of Ameliasburgh, Canada; Flag of Bergen, Norway

Please note that this term has been introduced by the Editors as no established alternative could be found.

OUTRIGGER FLAG

In German speaking, Central European and some other usage, the term – and a direct translation of the German Auslegerflagge – which covers a long vertically orientated (often but by no means invariably) commercial flag that is fixed both along its hoist to the flagpole and along the top edge to a horizontal arm or gallery – but see framed flag 1) (also banner 2), hanging flag, gallery and vertically hoisted flag 1)).

Please note that this type of flag is also a framed flag, and should not be confused with a flag hung from an outrigger pole – see hanging flag and banner 2) as referenced above.

OUTRIGGER POLE

The term for a flagpole that projects from the side of a building at an upward angle, usually equipped with a halyard but is sometimes removable and fitted with clips to attach the flag directly – an angled pole (see also ‘halyard’ and ‘tangle rod’).

OVER

1) A term used to describe that stripe which is placed above another in a horizontally striped flag, for example: red over white as illustrated below.
2) A term that is also used when one or more charges are placed above another or others � but see ‘above 1)’, ‘ensigned’ and ‘superimposed’.

National Flag of Singapore; National Flag of Austria; State Flag of Poland

Please note with regard to 1) that use of this term is, strictly speaking, unnecessary, since the standard method of describing such flags is from top to bottom. The Editors suggest therefore, that it be restricted to bi-colours, and that the conventional terms be retained for horizontal tricolours, tri-bands and multi-stripes, however, also please note that its use in describing a flag of more than two stripes is not unknown.

OVERALL (or OVER ALL)

1) On flags, a term used when a charge (often but by no means exclusively reaching the edges of the flag) is placed over another design, as in for example, the bend on the Artigas flag of Uruguay � but see overlaid (also charge covering, partially covering and throughout).

2) In heraldry, the term can be used when a charge is placed over other charges, or over a parti-coloured field, or when an inescutcheon or cartouche is placed over four or more quarters – surtout – but see surmounted, by (also escutcheon, cartouche 1), debruised, inescutcheon, quarter, throughout).

Flag of Entre Ríos, Argentina; Flag of Tanna 1974; Flag of Haria, Spain

Please note with regard to 2), it is suggested that a glossary or dictionary or heraldry be consulted with regard to comparative use of the terms “overall” and “surmounted by”.

OVERLAID

1) On flags a term that may be used when one charge appears on top of another, or when that charge is set against a patterned field – but see overall 1).
2) In heraldry see surmounted by 2) and overall 2) plus their following notes.

Flag of Lucena, Brazil; Flag of Gagny, France

OWNER ABSENT FLAG

In US usage the practice, almost certainly obsolete, of flying a plain blue flag from the starboard yardarm (or spreader) of a pleasure vessel when the owner is absent – an absence pennant (see also ‘dinner flag’, ‘guest on board flag’, ‘meal pennant’, ‘yardarm’).

Owner Absent Flag, US

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