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blue flag

American

noun

any North American plant of the genus Iris, especially I. versicolor : the state flower of Tennessee.

Blue Flag British

noun

an award given to a seaside resort that meets EU standards of cleanliness of beaches and purity of water in bathing areas

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of blue flag

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The drone feed shows the moment they briefly wave their yellow and blue flag, before quickly returning to cover.

From BBC • Dec. 9, 2025

Surveillance cameras showed Rhine carrying cowbells and a blue flag with white stars in the building.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 27, 2023

At the protests, Millaray would rap or stroll among protesters with her hand-painted blue flag bearing the “Wünelfe,” an eight-point star sacred in Mapuche iconography.

From New York Times • Jan. 27, 2023

The acting president of Ukraine’s track and field federation logged into the Zoom meeting from his olive-green tent near the front lines, the country’s yellow and blue flag in the background.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 14, 2022

When a ship is ready to sail, it flies a blue flag with a white square that stands for the letter P—blue peter.

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023