Vexillology

Vexillology is the study of flags: their history, symbolism, design and use. The word joins the Latin vexillum, a flag carried by Roman soldiers, with the Greek suffix -logia, meaning study. Whitney Smith, an American flag scholar, came up with it in 1957.

A person who studies flags is a vexillologist. The design side has its own name, vexillography. Groups such as the North American Vexillological Association, which Smith co-founded in 1967, publish research and design advice, including the five principles covered in what makes a good flag.

You do not need the vocabulary to design a flag, but it helps to know a few words like hoist, canton and charge. The parts of a flag guide covers the basics, and the flag maker lets you put them into practice. See also what the study of flags is called.