Insignia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the electronics brand-name of the same name, see Best Buy
- For the Cruise Ship Insignia see Oceania Cruises
- For the General Motors car Insignia see Opel Insignia
Insignia (the plural of Latin insigne: emblem, symbol) is a symbol or token of personal power, status or office, or of an official body of government or jurisdiction. Insignia are especially used as an emblem of a specific or general authority.
Typical examples of insignia are:
- Crowns
- Flags of a country or state
- Coats of arms and Heraldry
- Seals
- Ensigns
- Roundels
- Badges
- Cockades
- Other National Emblems
- Shoulder patch, or shoulder sleeve insignia (SSI)
- Military rank and unit markings:
- British Army officer rank insignia
- British Army Other Ranks rank insignia
- British Royal Air Force officer rank insignia
- British Royal Air Force other rank insignia
- British Royal Navy officer rank insignia
- British Royal Navy ratings rank insignia
- Croatian military ranks insignia
- U.S. Army officer rank insignia
- U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia
- U.S. Navy officer rank insignia
- U.S. Navy enlisted rate insignia
- United States Air Force enlisted rank insignia
- United States Air Force officer rank insignia
- United States Marine Corps enlisted rank insignia
- United States Marine Corps officer rank insignia
- Polish Armed Forces rank insignia
- Nazi Party rank insignia
Official insignia are often protected by law as to allow their use only by people holding a specific office or staff members action on behalf of such a person. Misuse, defacement and destruction of such symbols is considered an offense in many countries.[clarify]
