gonfalonier

American  

[gon-fuh-luh-neer] / ˌgɒn fə ləˈnɪər /

noun

1. the bearer of a gonfalon.

2. a chief magistrate or some other elected official in any of several medieval Italian republics.

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gonfalonier British  

/ ˌɡɒnfələˈnɪə /

noun

1. the chief magistrate or other official of a medieval Italian republic, esp the bearer of the republic's gonfalon

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Etymology

Origin of gonfalonier

1580–90; < French < Italian gonfaloniere. See gonfalon, -ier ²

Example Sentences

The family, which was nineteen times represented in the signoria, and in 1445 gave a gonfalonier to Florence, flourished with the republic and declined with its fall.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 4 "G" to "Gaskell, Elizabeth" by Various

Then we entered the palace, led by Michael di Lando, who bore the standard of the gonfalonier of justice.

From Chit-Chat; Nirvana; The Searchlight by Holt, Mathew Joseph

"Make you my gonfalonier?" he muttered, in consummate amusement.

From Love-at-Arms by Sabatini, Rafael

In 1419 Giovanni increased his popularity by founding the Spedale degli Innocenti, and in 1421 he was elected gonfalonier, or, as we might now say, President of the Republic.

From A Wanderer in Florence by Lucas, E. V. (Edward Verrall)

Or who, again, but knows that shortly before Piero Soderini, whom the people of Florence had made gonfalonier for life, was deprived of his office and banished, the palace itself was struck by lightning?

From Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius by Thomson, Ninian Hill