**Sinister** is the heraldic term for the side of a flag or shield on the bearer’s left, which appears on the viewer’s right. It corresponds to the fly side of a flag flown from a staff on the viewer’s left. Although the word descends from Latin for ‘left’ and carries no pejorative meaning in heraldry, sinister is the less honourable side and ordinarily bears the secondary charges of a quartered field.
**Example**: On a quartered royal standard, the arms of a junior kingdom or claim are often placed in the sinister chief or sinister base quarter.
**See also**: [dexter](/glossary/dexter/), [fly](/glossary/fly/), [quartered](/glossary/quartered/), [blazoning](/glossary/blazoning/)