badge

American  

[baj] / bædʒ /

noun

1. a special or distinctive mark, token, or device worn as a sign of allegiance, membership, authority, achievement, etc..

   a police badge;

   a merit badge.

   Synonyms:

   earmark, hallmark, seal, shield, insignia

2. any emblem, token, or distinctive mark.

   He thinks rich people buy art mainly as a badge of their sophistication and success.

3. a card bearing identifying information, as one's name, symbol or place of employment, or academic affiliation, and often worn pinned to one's clothing.

4. Digital Technology. digital badge.

---

verb (used with object)

badged, badging

1. to furnish or mark with a badge.

badge British  

/ bædʒ /

noun

1. a distinguishing emblem or mark worn to signify membership, employment, achievement, etc

2. any revealing feature or mark

---

Usage

What does badge mean? A badge is a small object or card used to identify oneself in an official way. Most commonly, badge refers to the small metal medallion worn or carried by police officers or other law enforcement members. They’re often shaped like shields or stars.Badge also commonly refers to the official identification card of a worker, especially one that’s pinned to their clothing or worn on a lanyard or cord around their neck. Such badges are often used for security purposes—having a badge allows a worker to enter the building or access certain parts of it.Example: You pull another stunt like that and I’ll have you turn in your badge, Officer Hotshot!

Other Word Forms

• badgeless adjective
• unbadged adjective

Etymology

Origin of badge

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English baggys (plural); akin to Anglo-French bage “badge, emblem”; further origin unknown

Example Sentences

I started working with him when I think he was 13 or 14, when I was starting to do my coaching badges - a good few years ago.

From BBC

Another Google employee had been using Ding’s badge to come to the office so it looked as though he was still in the U.S. when he had spent months in China.

From The Wall Street Journal

Police officers with a crown on their cap badges will sit down with lawyers from the Crown Prosecution Service and decide if there is sufficient evidence to charge the King's brother.

From BBC

It also became one of the early examples of user interface design conventions such as badges, rating buttons, sharing and recommendation features which have largely become standard features across media platforms today.

From BBC

In their place: a new generation that wears their shopping savvy as a badge of honor.

From Barron's

Related Words

• identification
• insignia
• marker
• medallion
• pin
• ribbon
• stamp
• symbol
• token