Meaning & use
guidons
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“guidons” is a form of “guidon”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nouncountablemilitary
A small flag or pennant carried by a military unit, especially a cavalry or armored unit, used as a marker or rallying point.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a guidon' or 'the guidons'.
Patterns
- carry a guidon
- the guidon of a unit
The cavalry troop followed the guidon through the dusty valley.
Each squadron had its own guidon, decorated with the unit's colors.
During the parade, the guidons were held high so the soldiers could see them.
nouncountablemilitary
A small flag used by a military unit to show its identity or to mark a position on the battlefield.
Grammar: Countable; often used in the plural when referring to flags of multiple units.
Patterns
- guidons of the regiment
- plant a guidon
The guidons of the regiment were planted at the top of the hill.
The enemy could see our guidons from a distance, so we had to move carefully.
He was proud to carry the guidon for his troop.
Word forms
| singular | guidon |
|---|
Common combinations
- carry the guidon
- The young soldier was chosen to carry the guidon in the parade.
- unit guidon
- The unit guidon was decorated with battle honors.
- guidons and standards
- The museum displayed old guidons and standards from the Civil War.
- follow the guidon
- The troops were trained to follow the guidon into battle.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pennant
- A pennant is a long, narrow flag, often used in sports or as a signal; a guidon is specifically a military unit flag.
- standard
- A standard is a large flag carried in battle or ceremonies; a guidon is smaller and used for identification or signaling.
- banner
- A banner is a general term for a flag or cloth with a design; guidon is a precise military term.
Commonly confused: guidons or guidon?
guidons vs guidon
Guidon is the singular form; guidons is the plural. Make sure to use the correct number.
Practice
The cavalry unit raised its ______ high so that all soldiers could see it during the parade.
Choose one answer.
The correct answer is 'guidon' because the sentence refers to a single flag. 'Guidons' is plural and would not match 'its' (singular). 'Guidance' means advice, and 'guile' means trickery, so neither fits the military context.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “guidons”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.