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ensign

[ en-sahyn; Military en-suhn ]
/ ˈɛn saɪn; Military ˈɛn sən /
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See synonyms for ensign on Thesaurus.com
noun
a flag or banner, as a military or naval standard used to indicate nationality.
a badge of office or authority, as heraldic arms.
a sign, token, or emblem: the dove, an ensign of peace.
U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. the lowest commissioned officer, ranking next below a lieutenant, junior grade, and equal to a second lieutenant in the Army.
Archaic. standard-bearer (def. 1).
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Origin of ensign

1325–75; Middle English ensigne<Old French enseigne<Latin insignia;see insignia

OTHER WORDS FROM ensign

en·sign·ship, en·sign·cy, noun

Words nearby ensign

enshrine, enshroud, ensiform, ensiform cartilage, ensiform process, ensign, ensign staff, ensilage, ensile, -ensis, ensky
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

Words related to ensign

banner, colors, emblem, insignia, pennant, standard, streamer, symbol, banderole, gonfalon

How to use ensign in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ensign

ensign
/ (ˈɛnsaɪn) /
noun

Derived forms of ensign

ensignship or ensigncy, noun

Word Origin for ensign

C14: from Old French enseigne, from Latin insignia
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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