mascot
Americannoun
-
mascots
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for April 8–April 14, 2023
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
A bank in New Zealand has found itself at the centre of an unlikely free speech row after an attempt to remove "explicit" memes about its sheep mascot from social media.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
Kiwibank unveiled the mascot "Buck" this year in an ad campaign urging consumers to "bank Kiwi".
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
The latest cuddly mascot in AI emits the “ear-piercing forever hum” of a data center when you squeeze it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
Chandler, whose son Benjamin was a mascot at all three finals, said it was an overwhelming experience at times for the players too.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
“What are you going to change the mascot to, exactly?”
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
AI companies including Meta, OpenAI and Anthropic are using cute, cartoonlike mascots to potentially make their technology feel less scary to skeptics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
But college football fans chant during games, which feature marching bands and spirit squads - made up of cheerleaders, dancers and mascots.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
The two sons of a police officer killed in a crash on Teesside will lead out the Manchester United team as mascots for Sunday's Premier League match against Ipswich at Old Trafford.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
But Niles is just one in a new wave of nonhuman brand mascots from recent months that also includes:
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
The queen’s sister, Empress Marie of Russia, took photographs during the royal inspection, and afterward, the eager fans who mobbed the dock gave the crew teddy bears and other mascots to carry south.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
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.
