n. 小旗

[ noun ]
a knight honored for valor; entitled to display a square banner and to hold higher command
<noun.person>

Banneret \Ban"ner*et\, n.[OE. baneret, OF. baneret, F. banneret;
properly a dim. of OF. baniere. See {Banner}.]
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.

Note: 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.