banneret Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a knight honored for valor; entitled to display a square banner and to hold higher command
    knight banneret; knight of the square flag.

WordNet

Ban"ner*et noun
Etymology
OE. baneret, OF. baneret, F. banneret; properly a dim. of OF. baniere. See Banner.
Definitions
  1. Originally, a knight who led his vassals into the field under his own banner; -- commonly used as a title of rank.
  2. A title of rank, conferred for heroic deeds, and hence, an order of knighthood; also, the person bearing such title or rank. ✍ The usual mode of conferring the rank on the field of battle was by cutting or tearing off the point of the pennon or pointed flag on the spear of the candidate, thereby making it a banner.
  3. A civil officer in some Swiss cantons.
  4. A small banner. Shak.

Webster 1913