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pennant

American  
[pen-uhnt] / ˈpɛn ənt /

noun

  1. a long, tapering flag or burgee of distinctive form and special significance, borne on naval or other vessels and used in signaling or for identification.

  2. any relatively long, tapering flag.

  3. a flag serving as an emblem of victory or championship, especially in baseball.

  4. Music. hook.

  5. Nautical. pendant.


pennant British  
/ ˈpɛnənt /

noun

  1. a type of pennon, esp one flown from vessels as identification or for signalling

    1. a flag serving as an emblem of championship in certain sports

    2. ( as modifier )

      pennant cricket

  2. nautical another word for pendant

  3. same as flag 1

"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

Etymology

Origin of pennant

First recorded in 1605–15; blend of pennon and pendant

Explanation

A pennant is a long flag that tapers at one end. You might see a pennant flying on a navy ship, being waved in the crowd of spectators at a baseball game, or hanging on a sporty kid’s bedroom wall. Nautical pennants were the original triangular or tapered flags, and they are still flown on most active warships. Sporting pennants also have a long history, and were once commonly given as prizes or trophies and waved by fans in the stands at high school and college sporting events. Sports teams can still win a pennant, but pennants are often purchased as souvenirs at games and wind up on fans’ walls.

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Vocabulary lists containing pennant

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The yield has been consolidating with a narrowing range that looks like a pennant, with lower highs and higher lows, since then.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

If you calculate the length of the flagpole to the bottom pennant, as some technicians do, the upside target would be about 7.4%.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

The Braves are off to a good start in 2026 as they lead the National League East with an 18-8 record and are a good bet to contend for the league pennant.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

It features relief pitcher Roki Sasaki and Smith embracing after the Dodgers clinched the National League pennant, with the slogan “On the Double.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 24, 2025

I walked steadily toward the pennant pole amid a sea of susurrus murmurings.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

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