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Synonyms

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.

dog tag British  

noun

  1. slang a military personal-identification disc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of dog tag

First recorded in 1915–20

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.

The woman then contacted Rulon because Gigi was wearing a dog tag with the rescue’s number.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 12, 2024

Eli Albag handed UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak a dog tag with the words "Bring them home".

From BBC • Jan. 22, 2024

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

From Seattle Times • Jul. 5, 2023

Written by Gaga and BloodPop, the song’s music video featured the pop star in classic “Top Gun” apparel: a white tank top, a dog tag necklace and aviator sunglasses.

From New York Times • Mar. 12, 2023

Bobby, dog tag entwined, managed to compile an even score, with two wins, two losses, and six draws, fretting afterward that “I didn’t do too well.”

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

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.