chevron

noun chevrons · cheveron

1. A wide inverted V placed on a shield.
2. broadly Anything V-shaped similarly to the classic chevron shape. Jejeune's canoe sent a chevron of silver ripples scurrying across the mirror-calm surface as it carved its path through the dark water.
3. collective A group of birds in flight, when flying in a V formation, as in cranes, ducks, geese, gulls, pelicans and swans. As I stood in amaze-ment, chevron after chevron after chevron of these massive birds crisscrossed the sky, practically blocking out the sun and creating an unparalleled cacophony of sight and sound.

   Similar: wedge

4. UK One of the V-shaped markings on the surface of roads used to indicate minimum distances between vehicles. 2009, Jamie Dunn, Truckie has a point, Sunshine Coast Daily Online, June 13, 2009. I told you that in fact they were called chevrons and it was an exercise by the transport department to teach us to stay two chevrons behind the car in front.
5. A wedge-shaped sediment deposit observed on coastlines and continental interiors around the world.
6. Synonym of arrowhead (“horse jump obstacle”).

   Similar: arrowhead

7. A guillemet, either of the punctuation marks “«” or “»”, used in several languages to indicate passages of speech. Similar to typical quotation marks used in the English language such as ““” and “””.
8. An angle bracket, either used as a typographic or a scientific symbol.
9. informal A háček, a diacritical mark that may resemble an inverted circumflex. It is pertinent to remember, however, that one of the greatest phoneticians, Jan Hus, used diacritics (in the form of points, which have later become chevrons in his own language), and that his alphabet is the most satisfactory for eastern Europe, since it has been officially adopted by the language

Similar: stripe, wicket, angle bracket

verb chevrons · chevroning · chevroned · cheveron

1. To form or be formed into chevrons ...the sheet to be chevroned locks itself into the furrow.