|gänfəˌlä|ni(ə)r, -_lə|n- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Italian gonfaloniere, from Old Italian, from Old French gonfanonier, gonfalonier, from gonfanon, gonfalon + -ier -er
1. : one who bears the gonfalon : standard-bearer ; specifically : a papal official at Rome who bears the standard of the church
2. : the chief magistrate or other official of any of several republics in medieval Italy