emblem
Americannoun
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an object or its representation, symbolizing a quality, state, class of persons, etc.; symbol.
The olive branch is an emblem of peace.
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a sign, design, or figure that identifies or represents something.
the emblem of a school.
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an allegorical picture, often inscribed with a motto supplemental to the visual image with which it forms a single unit of meaning.
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Obsolete. an inlaid or tessellated ornament.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a visible object or representation that symbolizes a quality, type, group, etc, esp the concrete symbol of an abstract idea
the dove is an emblem of peace
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an allegorical picture containing a moral lesson, often with an explanatory motto or verses, esp one printed in an emblem book
Other Word Forms
- emblematic adjective
- emblematically adverb
Etymology
Origin of emblem
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin emblēma inlaid or mosaic work < Greek émblēma something put on, equivalent to em- em- 2 + blêma something thrown or put; compare embállein to throw in or on
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.
AFP journalists spotted the pirate-like emblem, taken from the wildly popular Japanese manga series "One Piece", at protests in more than a dozen countries.
From Barron's
This is not to say that “Wicked” was some noble emblem of blockbuster benevolence.
From Salon
He approached the draft version of “The Waste Land” by Eliot with a pair of scissors, and returned with modernism’s emblem.
For all their readjustments, Grizzly Bear remains an emblem of what indie rock once promised: that a group of thoughtful people could build something meaningful together, without needing to distort themselves to fit the market.
From Los Angeles Times
The following day, on his way to court, Serhii faced news crews and raised three fingers—a Ukrainian salute symbolizing the Tryzub, the national emblem.
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.
