half-mast

/ˈhæfˈmæst/

When a flag is raised about halfway up a flagpole, it's at half-mast. The half-mast position usually symbolizes mourning.

Whenever you see a flag flying below the top of a ship's mast or a flagpole, you'll know it's at half-mast, also called half-staff. This tradition dates back to the 17th century. A U.S. flag at half-mast can be a symbol of national mourning, used after the death of a president, another government official, or on a holiday like Memorial Day. Local deaths and tragedies are also sometimes marked with flags at half-mast.

Definitions of half-mast

1. noun

   the position of a flag lowered midway on a pole signaling mourning or distress
   synonyms: half-staff

   type of:

   place, position

   the particular portion of space occupied by something