mascot
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of mascot
1880–85; < French mascotte < Provençal mascoto talisman, charm, derivative of masco sorceress. See mask
Explanation
A mascot is an animal or character that represents a group. If your high school soccer team is called "the weasels," it means that a weasel must be your school's mascot. Some mascots supposedly bring luck to an organization or club, and others are used as marketing for a team or brand. Smokey the Bear is the mascot of the U.S. Forest Service and stars in commercials urging the public to help prevent forest fires. Tony the Tiger is also a mascot of sorts, for Frosted Flakes cereal. Sports team mascots actually appear at games and matches, dancing around between innings and high-fiving little kids in the stands.
Vocabulary lists containing mascot
English Words Derived from French, List 7
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for April 8–April 14, 2023
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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He remembers his little toy bank shaped like Pique, the anthropomorphic jalapeño pepper that was Mexico’s tournament mascot.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
The last time L.A. hosted the summer Olympics, in 1984, the mascot stepped out four long years before the games began.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
The agent craze has been fuelled by the sudden global popularity of OpenClaw, an agent tool known for its red lobster mascot.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
Many adopt the platform’s mascot, a smiling, green-jacketed cat named “Hypurr,” as their social-media avatars.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
I wasn’t going to read more of what Stephanie or anyone else had to say about that stupid mascot.
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
