dog tag

American  

noun

1. a small disk or strip attached to a dog's harness or collar stating owner, home, etc.

2. identification tag.

3. Informal.

   1. any tag for a suitcase, camera, or other personal possession with the owner's name or address.

   2. a tag or card with a person's name or affiliation, worn at conventions, large meetings, etc.

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dog tag British  

noun

1. slang a military personal-identification disc

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Etymology

Origin of dog tag

First recorded in 1915–20

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dog tag

Another was a metal identification bracelet, similar to a dog tag.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

He did not wear the dog tag there.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 17, 2024

In the intensive care unit, we meet Oleksii, his military dog tag still around his neck.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2023

Levine, whose first name was misspelled on the dog tag with an extra ‘s,’ died in 1973.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 5, 2023

Later that day, we gave Charlie’s dog tag to the CO, who then packed his belongings, wrote a letter to his family, and sent it all home.

From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac

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Related Words

• description
• passport
• recognition
• testimony

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