mascot
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of mascot
1880–85; < French mascotte < Provençal mascoto talisman, charm, derivative of masco sorceress. See mask
Explanation
A mascot is an animal or character that represents a group. If your high school soccer team is called "the weasels," it means that a weasel must be your school's mascot. Some mascots supposedly bring luck to an organization or club, and others are used as marketing for a team or brand. Smokey the Bear is the mascot of the U.S. Forest Service and stars in commercials urging the public to help prevent forest fires. Tony the Tiger is also a mascot of sorts, for Frosted Flakes cereal. Sports team mascots actually appear at games and matches, dancing around between innings and high-fiving little kids in the stands.
Vocabulary lists containing mascot
English Words Derived from French, List 7
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for April 8–April 14, 2023
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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
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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.
"Since January, I've spent hours on the lobster every day," Gao told AFP, referring to OpenClaw's red crustacean mascot.
From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026
The official debut was in March 2024: At a party at the Roybal Learning Center, dignitaries gave speeches, a mascot paraded in an Ed suit and a DJ spun tunes.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026
After winning a competition to be an England mascot, he spent the days running up to England's meeting with Italy learning the words to the national anthem.
From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026
At another point, a giant monitor behind the action featured Concho, the singer’s crested toad mascot.
From Salon • Feb. 9, 2026
Just the fact that the place had a tree as a mascot seemed so promising.
From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
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.
