brand

¹ American  

[brand] / brænd /

noun

1. the kind, grade, or make of a product or service, as indicated by a stamp, trademark, or the like.

   the best brand of coffee.

2. a mark made by burning or otherwise, to indicate kind, grade, make, ownership, etc.

3. a mark formerly put upon criminals with a hot iron.

4. any mark of disgrace; stigma.

   Synonyms:

   taint , blot , spot , stain

5. branding iron.

6. a kind or variety of something distinguished by some distinctive characteristic.

   The movie was filled with slapstick—a brand of humor he did not find funny.

7. a set of distinctive characteristics that establish a recognizable image or identity for a person or thing.

   Building your personal brand will positively impact your career.

8. a burning or partly burned piece of wood.

9. Archaic.  a sword.

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verb (used with object)

1. to label or mark with or as if with a brand.

2. to mark with disgrace or infamy; stigmatize.

3. to impress indelibly.

   The plane crash was branded on her mind.

4. to give a brand name to.

   branded merchandise.

5. to promote as a brand or brand name.

idioms

1. on brand,  in keeping with the distinctive characteristics that establish a recognizable identity for a person, product, or thing: He says he wants to be more compassionate, but that’s not really on brand for him.

   The hotel’s interactive website is so on brand.

   He says he wants to be more compassionate, but that’s not really on brand for him.

Brand ² American  

[brand] / brænd /

noun

1. Oscar, 1920–2016, U.S. folk singer, born in Canada.

2. a male given name.

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brand ¹ British  

/ brænd /

noun

1. a particular product or a characteristic that serves to identify a particular product

2. a trade name or trademark

3. a particular kind or variety

   he had his own brand of humour

4. an identifying mark made, usually by burning, on the skin of animals or (formerly) slaves or criminals, esp as a proof of ownership

5. an iron heated and used for branding animals, etc

6. a mark of disgrace or infamy; stigma

   he bore the brand of a coward

7. a burning or burnt piece of wood, as in a fire

8. archaic

   1. a flaming torch

   2. a sword

9. a fungal disease of garden plants characterized by brown spots on the leaves, caused by the rust fungus Puccinia arenariae

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verb

1. to label, burn, or mark with or as with a brand

2. to place indelibly in the memory

   the scene of slaughter was branded in their minds

3. to denounce; stigmatize

   they branded him a traitor

4. to give a product a distinctive identity by means of characteristic design, packaging, etc

Brand ² British  

/ brænd /

noun

1. Russell , born 1975, English comedian and television presenter

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Other Word Forms

• brander noun
• branding noun
• brandless adjective
• nonbrand adjective
• rebrand verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of brand

First recorded before 950; Middle English, Old English: “burning, a burning piece of wood, torch, sword”; cognate with Dutch brand, German Brand, Old Norse brandr; akin to burn ¹

Example Sentences

Tesla's Model Y and Model 3 were the two best-selling vehicles last month across all brands.

From Barron's

The deal comes after several pharmaceutical giants decided to either reduce spending in the UK or increase their US investments following threats of tariffs as high as 100% on branded drug imports.

From BBC

It’s not technically a departure from Gaffigan’s brand of clean comedy.

From The Wall Street Journal

The group advocates for freedom of religion for Vietnam's hill tribes and ethnic minority groups, which have been branded "terrorists" by the authorities.

From Barron's

That is a problem for retailers and brands that look to Generation Z—a group that runs from teens to late-20-somethings—to drive shopping trends and boost spending steadily as they earn bigger paychecks.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• idle
• untapped
• vacant