Vexillology

Vexillology is the "scientific study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags or, by extension, any interest in flags in general" (Smith 31) The word is a synthesis of the Latin word vexillum ("flag") and the Greek suffix -logy ("study"). It is formally defined by the International Federation of Vexillological Associations (FIAV) constitution as "the creation and development of a body of knowledge about flags of all types, their forms and functions, and of scientific theories and principles based on that knowledge."