1. a banner or flag, especially one hung from a crossbar or carried in a procession
Usage: historical; often used in medieval and Renaissance contexts
2. in Italian history, the standard or ensign of a medieval city-state or guild
Usage: historical; chiefly Italian

Examples

• The procession featured a magnificent gonfalon embroidered with the city's coat of arms.
• Medieval knights carried the gonfalon into battle as a symbol of their lord's authority.
• The guild's gonfalon hung proudly in the cathedral during the festival.
• Each Florentine district had its own distinctive gonfalon displayed during civic ceremonies.
• The museum's collection includes a 15th-century gonfalon made of silk and gold thread.