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oriflamme

Military
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An oriflamme is a sacred or battle flag, especially the historic red banner of medieval French kings; in poetry, it can mean any bright, flame-like banner or banner-shaped sight.

Detailed Definition
Originally, the Oriflamme was the royal war banner associated with the Abbey of Saint-Denis and carried by French kings in battle. Its name and brilliant appearance made it a symbol of courage, conflict, and martial authority. Poets often use oriflamme figuratively to describe something vividly red, fluttering, or flame-shaped, even when no literal flag is present.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Townsend Trowbridge’s “Cuba,” the speaker writes, “And the shy flamingo rises like a winged oriflamme.” Here, oriflamme is used figuratively: the flamingo’s red or pink wings, lifting and spreading in flight, resemble a bright battle banner waving in the air. The comparison gives the bird a striking, heroic visual presence.
Additional Notes
The historical Oriflamme was connected with Saint-Denis, the patron saint of France, and was used by French monarchs during the Middle Ages. The word comes from the Latin aurea flamma, meaning “golden flame,” though the famous French banner is commonly described as red or crimson. In literary use, oriflamme often suggests more than a flag: it may evoke flame, splendor, battle, patriotism, or a vivid flash of color. Related terms include standard, banner, ensign, and pennon. Unlike these general flag terms, oriflamme carries strong historical and poetic associations.
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