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flag¹

(flăg)

1. A piece of cloth, usually rectangular, of distinctive color and design, used as a symbol, standard, signal, or emblem.

2. National or other allegiance, as symbolized by a flag: ships of the same flag.

3. A ship carrying the flag of an admiral; a flagship.

4. A marking device, such as a gummed strip of paper, attached to an object to attract attention or ease identification; a tab.

5. The masthead of a newspaper.

6. Music A cross stroke that halves the value of a note to which it is added.

7. A distinctively shaped or marked tail, as of a dog or deer.

8. Computers A variable or memory location that stores true-or-false, yes-or-no information.

tr.v. flagged, flag·ging, flags

1. To mark with a flag or flags for identification or ornamentation: flag a parade route; flagging parts of a manuscript for later review.

a. To signal with or as if with a flag.

b. To signal to stop: flag down a passing car.

[Origin unknown.]

flag·ging¹

(flăgĭng)

adj.

1. Declining; weakening: flagging strength.

2. Languid; drooping.

flagging·ly adv.

flag·ging²

(flăgĭng)

A pavement laid with flagstones.

flag³

(flăg)

intr.v. flagged, flag·ging, flags

To lose vigor or strength; weaken or diminish: The conversation flagged.

[Possibly of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse flögra, to flap about.]

flag⁴

(flăg)

A flagstone.

tr.v. flagged, flag·ging, flags

To pave with slabs of flagstone.

[Middle English flagge, piece of turf, from Old Norse flaga, slab of stone; see plāk-¹ in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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