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Glite Dictionary
vexillology

vexillology

1 9.9
The study of flags, their history and meaning
  • noun
  • /vɛkˈsɪlɒlədʒi/
  • Specialized
: vexilología
  • The field of vexillology examines the historical significance and design of various national flags.

Examples

  • Many universities offer courses in vexillology for students interested in studying flags and their meanings.

  • The enthusiasts of vexillology gather annually to share insights about the flags of different nations worldwide.

  • The vexillology lesson just happened because I couldn't afford World Cup decorations.

    Academic text (2014)

Surface Forms

vexillology singular
vexillologies plural

Morphology

vexillology = vexill + ology

The term is built with the learned suffix '-ology', but the base 'vexill-' is a classical combining form that is not transparent to most learners, so the meaning is not recoverable from familiar English parts.

Etymology

The word vexillology comes from the Latin vexillum, meaning 'flag', and the Greek ending -logy, meaning 'study', like in biology. So, vexillology is the 'study of flags', their history and symbols.