a. Furnished with, or bearing, banners. “A bannered host.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.[ OE. baneret, OF. baneret, F. banneret; properly a dim. of OF. baniere. See Banner. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Originally, a knight who led his vassals into the field under his own banner; -- commonly used as a title of rank. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A title of rank, conferred for heroic deeds, and hence, an order of knighthood; also, the person bearing such title or rank. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A civil officer in some Swiss cantons. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A small banner. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]