flag of convenience

noun

the foreign flag under which merchant ships register in order to save on taxes or wages, or to avoid government regulations.

Origin of flag of convenience

First recorded in 1955–60

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for flag of convenience

flag of convenience

noun

a national flag flown by a ship registered in that country to gain financial or legal advantage

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