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• blue flag
  blue flag

  noun

  any North American plant of the genus Iris, especially I. versicolor : the state flower of Tennessee.
• Blue Flag
  Blue Flag

  noun

  an award given to a seaside resort that meets EU standards of cleanliness of beaches and purity of water in bathing areas

blue flag

American  

noun

1. any North American plant of the genus Iris, especially I. versicolor : the state flower of Tennessee.

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Blue Flag British  

noun

1. an award given to a seaside resort that meets EU standards of cleanliness of beaches and purity of water in bathing areas

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Etymology

Origin of blue flag

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

blue flag Blue Flag

The drone feed shows the moment they briefly wave their yellow and blue flag, before quickly returning to cover.

From BBC ● Dec. 9, 2025

At the protests, Millaray would rap or stroll among protesters with her hand-painted blue flag bearing the “Wünelfe,” an eight-point star sacred in Mapuche iconography.

From New York Times ● Jan. 27, 2023

Secor entered the Capitol while carrying a blue flag with the white letters “AF” and wearing a hat bearing the same “AF” emblem.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 19, 2022

In each spot where they did, he bent down and planted a little blue flag and said that’s where I’d likely find my bad pipe.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2022

A blue flag and a white flag dropped from the bridge simultaneously.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown

To get a Blue Flag, a beach must have "excellent" bathing water quality, as rated by the Environment Agency.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

“The secret is out that fall is the best time to come,” said Brad Guidi, co-founder of Blue Flag Capital, which owns five hotels on the island, including the recently renovated Brass Lantern Inn.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026

The Blue Flag, a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education, certifies the environmental commitment of cruise companies, marinas and beaches.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 28, 2022

The Carbis Bay Hotel & Estate, where the Woolfs stayed, has its own beach that was awarded Blue Flag eco-certification, as well as a spa.

From New York Times ● Feb. 26, 2018

Young kindled camp-fires along two miles of front; brought up his brass band and played "The Bonnie Blue Flag," and "Dixie."

From Mohun, or, the Last Days of Lee by John Esten Cooke

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