Flanch, a term mostly used in heraldry, refers to a curved band or charge along the edge of the shield. Synonyms for flanch include the terms flance, flory, and flory-counterflory. These words are also used to describe the curved design elements in heraldry. Flance is a French term that means "flanked" and is used to describe the curvy sections that are flanking the shield. Flory refers to a design with flower-shaped elements, while flory-counterflory means that the shield has alternating designs. Other synonyms for flanch include fesse, bar, and bend, which all describe horizontal or diagonal stripes or bands on a shield.