emblematic
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of emblematic
1635–45; < Greek emblēmat-, stem of émblēma ( see emblem) + -ic
Explanation
Something emblematic is symbolic. Empty buildings are emblematic of a city in decline, and a crown is emblematic of royalty. If you know that an emblem is a visual symbol, then you won't be surprised that emblematic things stand for other things. In fact, the word emblem comes from the French word for symbol. Something emblematic represents a larger issue, good or bad. Sometimes emblematic is used for things that are excellent examples. An A student is an emblematic student, and a war hero is an emblematic soldier. Emblematic people are symbols of what others aspire to be.
Vocabulary lists containing emblematic
Viewing Current Refugee Crisis Through an Anne Frank Lens
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The Namesake
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Words from the 2020 Vice Presidential Debate
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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.
She also pointed out how the Wongs’ personal journey is emblematic of the larger story of immigrant struggle and success that is found in all corners of L.A.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
Rising egg prices through 2024 and last year, amid a massive bird-flu outbreak, became emblematic of shoppers’ struggles with inflation.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
Bob Adelman’s photograph is a monumental record of an event that tapped into the most profound currents of American history, making it the emblematic image of the civil-rights movement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
“They were simply told, ‘Think of something native to you, something emblematic.’
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2026
It is the emblematic photograph of Ernest Lawrence and Robert Oppenheimer together in the full bloom of their friendship, long before their personal relations became soured by rivalry, suspicion, and politics.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
