US /ˈfleɪ̯ɡ/ UK /ˈflæɡ/
verb noun Freq #2897

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    A piece of cloth with a design that represents a country, group, or idea.

    The flag of France has three vertical stripes.

  2. 2
    verb

    To mark something so that people will notice it or pay attention to it.

    Please flag any mistakes you find in the report.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
Word family
Forms flaggedflagsunflaggingunflaggingly
Derived forms antiflagbeflagbitflagcorn-flagfalse-flagflag-bearerflag-burningflag-flyingflag-happyflag-hoppingflag-sellingflag-staff
Related forms bannercolourensignjackpennantstandardvexillology

Etymology

From Middle English flag, flagge (“flag”), further etymology uncertain. Perhaps from or related to early Middle English flage (name for a baby's garment) and Old English flagg, flacg (“cataplasm, poultice, plaster”). Or, perhaps ultimately imitative, or otherwise drawn from Proto-Germanic *flaką (“something flat”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- (“flat, broad, plain”), referring to the shape. Germanic cognates include Saterland Frisian Flaage (“flag”), West Frisian flagge (“flag”), Dutch vlag (“flag”), German Flagge (“flag”), Swedish flagga (“flag”), Danish flag (“flag, ship's flag”). Compar…

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Topics

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