flag-waver
|flag-wav-er|
🇺🇸
/ˈflæɡˌweɪvər/
🇬🇧
/ˈflæɡˌweɪvə/
one who waves a flag; ardent supporter
Etymology
'flag-waver' originates from English, specifically a compound of 'flag' and 'waver'. 'flag' traces back to Old Norse 'flagr', where 'flagr' meant 'a cloth or banner', and 'waver' traces back to Old English 'wafian', where 'wafian' meant 'to wave'.
'flag' appeared in Middle English (e.g. 'flagge') and developed from Old Norse 'flagr'; 'waver' developed from Old English 'wafian' through Middle English forms such as 'waven'. The compound 'flag-waver' arose in Modern English (notably in the 19th–20th centuries) as a descriptive term and later gained figurative use.
Initially, it meant 'one who literally waves a flag'; over time it acquired an additional figurative meaning of 'an ardent or ostentatious supporter (often patriotic or partisan)'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who literally waves a flag, especially at a parade or demonstration.
Several flag-wavers stood along the parade route, cheering and waving banners.
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Noun 2
a fervent or ostentatious supporter of a cause, position, or nation; often used with a mildly pejorative sense (e.g., a showy patriot or booster).
He's a flag-waver for the policy, always speaking at rallies and praising it in public.
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Last updated: 2026/01/12 01:49