Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An inspiring standard or symbol.
  • noun The red or orange-red flag of the Abbey of Saint Denis in France, used as a standard by the early kings of France.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The banner of St. Denis, supposed to have been a plain red gonfalon — that is, a banderole of two or three points attached to a lance.
  • noun In heraldry, a blue flag or banner charged with three golden fleurs-de-lis.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun history The red silk banner of St Denis, which the abbot of St Denis gave to French kings as they rode to war.
  • noun figuratively Any banner, idea or principle which serves as a rallying point for those involved in a struggle.
  • noun literary Something resembling the banner of St Denis; a bright, shining object.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an inspiring symbol or ideal that serves as a rallying point in a struggle
  • noun a red or orange-red flag used as a standard by early French kings

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English oriflamble, banner of St. Denis, from Old French, variant of oriflambe, possibly from Medieval Latin aurea flamma, auriflamma (Latin aurea, feminine of aureus, golden, from aurum, gold + Latin flamma, flame; see flame) or alteration of Old French *lorie flambe (from Late Latin laurea flammula, laureled standard : Latin laurea, feminine of laureus, of laurel; see laureate + Latin flammula, banner, diminutive of flamma, flame).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French oriflambe, oriflamme, from Medieval Latin auriflamma ("golden flame"), from Latin aurum ("gold") + flamma ("flame").

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Examples

  • The oriflamme was a sacred banner used by the kings of France in the Middle Ages in times of great danger.

    Archive 2007-07-15 de Brantigny........................ 2007

  • The oriflamme was a sacred banner used by the kings of France in the Middle Ages in times of great danger.

    l'Oriflamme de Brantigny........................ 2007

  • Charlemagne by the pope, but no historical text affords us any information with regard to this oriflamme, which is perhaps fabulous.

    The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 11: New Mexico-Philip 1840-1916 1913

  • Viewers rooted for the Virginia kid with shaggy brown hair and glasses, who fidgeted with his hands as he spelled such words as "oriflamme" and "sophrosyne."

    'Fustanella' is N.Va. teen's killer bee word 2010

  • Viewers rooted for the Virginia kid with shaggy brown hair and glasses, who fidgeted with his hands as he spelled such words as "oriflamme" and "sophrosyne."

    'Fustanella' is N.Va. teen's killer bee word 2010

  • Viewers rooted for the Virginia kid with shaggy brown hair and glasses, who fidgeted with his hands as he spelled such words as "oriflamme" and "sophrosyne."

    'Fustanella' is N.Va. teen's killer bee word 2010

  • Viewers rooted for the Virginia kid with shaggy brown hair and glasses, who fidgeted with his hands as he spelled such words as "oriflamme" and "sophrosyne."

    'Fustanella' is N.Va. teen's killer bee word 2010

  • Viewers rooted for the Virginia kid with shaggy brown hair and glasses, who fidgeted with his hands as he spelled such words as "oriflamme" and "sophrosyne."

    'Fustanella' is N.Va. teen's killer bee word 2010

  • Orange: apricot (25); orange (qua orange); oriflamme; sunset, and tangerine;

    Further thoughts about “Pavlova” 2009

  • Orange: apricot (25); orange (qua orange); oriflamme; sunset, and tangerine;

    Archive 2009-05-01 2009

Comments

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  • A very nice word, but I don't know where I could wear it.

    June 21, 2007

  • For some reason I associate this word with fields. But I don't know what that reason is.

    I suppose you would find an oriflamme on a battlefield.

    February 6, 2008

  • What a cool word!

    February 6, 2008

  • I always think of orcs.

    February 6, 2008

  • Seanahan: endures orc. See anagram.

    February 6, 2008

  • seanahan: you always think of orcs when you think of oriflammes, or you always think of orcs, period?

    February 7, 2008

  • I always think of orcs when I see the word oriflamme.

    February 7, 2008