Insignia
1154677
222897588
2008-07-01T17:21:44Z
Happy-melon
994084
hatnote
{{for|the electronics brand-name|Best Buy}}
{{for|the Cruise Ship '''Insignia'''|Oceania Cruises}}
{{for|the General Motors car '''Insignia'''|Opel Insignia}}
[[Image:Bruce Crandall receiving MOH.jpg|thumb|170px|LtCol. [[Bruce P. Crandall]], U.S. Army receives the [[Medal of Honor]] in 2007 for extraordinary heroism in the Vietnam War (1965).]]
'''Insignia''' (the plural of [[Latin]] ''insigne'': emblem, symbol) is a [[symbol]] or [[token]] of personal [[power (sociology)|power]], [[status]] or [[office]], or of an official body of [[government]] or [[jurisdiction]]. Insignia are especially used as an [[emblem]] of a specific or general [[authority]].
Typical examples of insignia are:
* [[crown (headgear)|Crowns]]
* [[Flag]]s of a country or state
* [[coat of arms|Coats of arms]] and [[Heraldry]]
* [[Seal (device)|Seal]]s
* [[Ensign]]s
* [[Roundel]]s
* [[Badge]]s
* [[Cockade]]s
* Other [[national emblem|National Emblems]]
* [[Shoulder patch]], or shoulder sleeve insignia (SSI)
* [[Military rank]] and [[Military unit|unit]] markings:
** [[British Army officer rank insignia]]
** [[British Army Other Ranks rank insignia]]
** [[RAF officer ranks|British Royal Air Force officer rank insignia]]
** [[RAF other ranks|British Royal Air Force other rank insignia]]
** [[Royal Navy officer rank insignia|British Royal Navy officer rank insignia]]
** [[Royal Navy ratings rank insignia|British Royal Navy ratings rank insignia]]
** [[croatian military ranks|Croatian military ranks insignia]]
** [[U.S. Army officer rank insignia]]
** [[U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia]]
** [[U.S. Navy officer rank insignia]]
** [[United States Navy enlisted rates|U.S. Navy enlisted rate insignia]]
** [[United States Air Force enlisted rank insignia]]
** [[United States Air Force officer rank insignia]]
** [[United States Marine Corps enlisted rank insignia]]
** [[United States Marine Corps officer rank insignia]]
** [[Polish Armed Forces rank insignia]]
** [[Ranks and insignia of the Nazi Party|Nazi Party rank insignia]]
Official insignia are often protected by law as to allow their use only by people holding a specific office or staff members action on behalf of such a person. Misuse, defacement and destruction of such symbols is considered an offense in many countries. {{Clarifyme|date=March 2008}}
[[Category:Symbols]]
[[Category:Military insignia]]
[[cs:Insignie]]
[[de:Insigne]]
[[fi:Insignia]]
[[hu:Koronázási jelvények]]
[[mk:Обележја]]
[[nl:Insigne]]
[[pl:Insygnia]]
[[simple:Insignia]]
[[sl:Insignija]]
[[sv:Insignier]]