# ensign

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɛn.sɪn/ · frequency rank #20,346

## Definitions
1. A badge of office, rank, or power.
2. The lowest grade of commissioned officer in the United States Navy, junior to a lieutenant junior grade.
3. A flag or banner carried by military units; a standard or color/colour.
4. The principal flag or banner flown by a ship (usually at the stern) to indicate nationality.
5. Any prominent flag or banner.
6. A junior commissioned officer in the 18th and 19th centuries whose duty was to carry the unit's ensign.

## Etymology
From Middle English ensigne, from Old French enseigne, from Latin īnsignia, nominative plural of īnsigne, meaning marked, distinguished. Doublet of insignia.

## Common misspellings (9)
`enisgn`, `ennsign`, `ensgin`, `ensiggn`, `ensignn`, `ensing`, `enssign`, `esnign`, `nesign`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ensign