**Fimbriated** is the adjectival form describing a charge or partition that has been given a narrow border of contrasting tincture. A cross fimbriated argent on a field gules is a red cross outlined in white. The term is essential to the technical description of many national flags, where fimbriation separates colours that would otherwise meet directly.
**Example**: The cross of St Patrick on the Union Flag is described as a saltire gules fimbriated argent, the white border distinguishing it from the saltire of St Andrew beneath.
**See also**: [fimbriation](/glossary/fimbriation/), [tincture](/glossary/tincture/), [saltire](/glossary/saltire/), [blazoning](/glossary/blazoning/)