trademark

[treyd-mahrk]

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.

verb (used with object)

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

2. to register the trademark of.

trademark

/ 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

verb

1. to label with a trademark

2. to register as a trademark

Word History and Origins

Origin of trademark¹

First recorded in 1565–75; trade + mark ¹

Example Sentences

West End Girl marries all of those emotions to pithy, witty storytelling that's been Allen's trademark since her debut, Alright, Still in 2006.

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Militants no longer wear uniforms or carry their trademark black flags.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

By entering the multiyear deals, which are set to be announced Wednesday, the NHL becomes the first major U.S. professional sports league to allow the use of its trademarks by prediction markets.

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Gyokeres was pushed forward by his team-mates to take the adulation of the crowd and perform his trademark celebration on his own in a show of togetherness from the Arsenal squad.

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The music has the relaxed grooves of Mr. Parker’s trademark sound backed by Mr. McCraven’s energetic and inventive percussion.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• brand 
• label 
• stamp