insignia
Americannoun
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a badge or distinguishing mark of office or honor.
a military insignia.
-
a distinguishing mark or sign of anything.
an insignia of mourning.
noun
-
a badge or emblem of membership, office, or dignity
-
a distinguishing sign or mark
Usage
Insignia, originally the plural of Latin insigne, began to be used as a singular in the 18th century, and the plural insignias appeared shortly thereafter. All uses— insignia as a singular or plural and insignias as a plural—are fully standard. The singular insigne still occurs, but insignia is more common.
Etymology
Origin of insignia
1640–50; < Latin, plural of insigne mark, badge, noun use of neuter of insignis distinguished (by a mark); see in- 2, sign
Explanation
An insignia is a badge you wear to show your position or affiliation. If you're an Eagle Scout, you can wear that insignia, or, if you're a Red Sox fan, you might wear the team logo as your insignia. The word insignia includes the word "sign" — an insignia is a sign that shows your connection to some organization. Military officers wear insignias that indicate their rank. When you watch the president of the United States give a speech, you'll see on the lectern the official presidential insignia — the circular seal with the eagle inside.
Vocabulary lists containing insignia
The Things They Carried
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Fallen Angels
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Projekt 1065
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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.
See Examples For:
The statue is heavily damaged, with its head removed and its arms and royal insignia worn away.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026
“We got turtlenecks with the Chargers insignia on them,” Rogan recalled.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
In the virtual hearing, which lasted five minutes, she said she spoke to a man dressed in a green uniform, stitched with what looked like government insignia, seated in front of an American flag.
From Salon ● May 2, 2026
Platner pleaded ignorance—claiming that he had gotten inked with insignia while drunk and off duty in Croatia, and didn’t understand the horrific context until much later.
From Slate ● Apr. 13, 2026
Red-faced, like all the Lees, white-bearded, dressed in an old gray coat and a gray felt hat, without insignia, so that he is mistaken sometimes for an elderly major of dignity.
From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara
The Enquirer had different management, did not receive Scripps-Howard features and editorials, did not even carry the chain's lighthouse insigne.
From Time Magazine Archive
Why the Harriers keep crashing They wear the insigne of the ace of spades, card of death, on their olive-drab flight suits, and they speak with studied confidence of their assignment.
From Time Magazine Archive
For her pains, she was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor and the insigne of a Distinguished Worker of Sanitary Defense of the U.S.S.R.
From Time Magazine Archive
All planes bore the winged sea-horse insigne of Air France, Europe's biggest and the world's longest airline.
From Time Magazine Archive
“Anybody wearing the fraternity pin,” he added, and touched a blue dot tattooed under his left eye— an insigne, a visible password, by which certain former prison inmates could identify him.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
USA House, whose walls bear insignias celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, is expected to be a hub of activity for meetings and other events.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 19, 2026
“These are our favorite things on the planet,” said Stewart, who was heavily involved in developing “Honor Among Thieves,” down to the spells and insignias seen on screen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 31, 2023
In commemoration of the Sept. 11 attacks, the Mets wore caps with insignias representing New York first responder departments.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 11, 2022
The male dancers are clearly wearing uniforms, but Demuth chooses not to include insignias, medals, or other identifying marks.
From Textbooks ● Dec. 21, 2021
The folding man led us into a vestibule where we could talk without disturbing the sleepers, a room dominated by two large wooden doors emblazoned with dozens of bird insignias.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
