In heraldry, a **tincture** is any of the recognised colours, metals or furs used in the composition of arms. Tinctures are divided into two principal classes, metals and colours, with the rule of tincture forbidding the placement of one upon another of the same class. Flags derived from heraldic arms inherit the rule of tincture, which is why fimbriation is so often used where colour meets colour.
**Example**: The tinctures of the German flag are blazoned as Sable, Gules and Or, corresponding to black, red and gold.
**See also**: [metal-heraldic](/glossary/metal-heraldic/), [color-heraldic](/glossary/color-heraldic/), [fimbriation](/glossary/fimbriation/), [blazoning](/glossary/blazoning/)