sem•a•phore
Pronunciation: (sem'u-fôr", -fōr"), [key] — n., v., -phored, -phor•ing.
—n. - an apparatus for conveying information by means of visual signals, as a light whose position may be changed.
- any of various devices for signaling by changing the position of a light, flag, etc.
- a system of signaling, esp. a system by which a special flag is held in each hand and various positions of the arms indicate specific letters, numbers, etc.
—v.t., v.i. - to signal by semaphore or by some system of flags.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.