trademark

American  

[treyd-mahrk] / ˈtreɪdˌmɑrk /

noun

1. any name, symbol, figure, letter, word, or mark adopted and used by a manufacturer or merchant in order to designate specific goods and to distinguish them from those manufactured or sold by others. A trademark is proprietary and is usually registered with the Patent and Trademark Office to assure its exclusive use by its owner or licensee.

2. a distinctive mark or feature particularly characteristic of or identified with a person or thing (often used attributively).

   her trademark wit and sarcasm.

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verb (used with object)

1. to stamp or otherwise place a trademark designation upon.

2. to register the trademark of.

trademark British  

/ ˈtreɪdˌmɑːk /

noun

1. the name or other symbol used to identify the goods produced by a particular manufacturer or distributed by a particular dealer and to distinguish them from products associated with competing manufacturers or dealers. A trademark that has been officially registered and is therefore legally protected is known as a Registered Trademark

2. any distinctive sign or mark of the presence of a person or animal

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verb

1. to label with a trademark

2. to register as a trademark

Etymology

Origin of trademark

First recorded in 1565–75; trade + mark ¹

Explanation

A trademark is a distinctive feature of something or someone, and to trademark is to brand something, especially in a legal sense. You know how a comedian often has a particular joke she's famous for? That's her trademark. A trademark is something specific to a person that can be used to identify her. The legal sense of trademark is an official representation of a business or product that only they can legally use — like the Nike swoosh or their motto "Just do it."

Example Sentences

Traditional British architecture is characterized by the majesty of Elizabethan halls with their palatial glass, the elegance of Georgian townhouses and their sash windows or the charm of Tudor cottages with their trademark diamond casements.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

Megastar Taylor Swift was hit with a trademark infringement lawsuit for ‘Life of a Showgirl,’ and released the archival music video for ‘Elizabeth Taylor.’

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

The global pop star’s company, TAS Rights Management, filed three new trademark applications last week, per the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

While unit volume of the trademark Coca-Cola grew only 1% in the fourth quarter, unit volume for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar jumped 13% from a year earlier.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

The words Congratulations, Grace! are written out in purple icing on top, with yellow flowers around the edge and Sundae School’s trademark star-shaped sprinkles down the sides.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

Related Words

• brand
• label
• stamp