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.
Its former home, Highbury, was nicknamed “The Library” because spectators were so quiet, and the club’s mascot is a friendly 7-foot dinosaur in a hat.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
With Nateland, he wants to be a Tennessee Walt Disney, except he’ll also function as mascot.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Using a mascot is by no means a new strategy.
From BBC • May 13, 2026
Meadow Gold Mack, a friendly lumberjack, is mascot for a shop of the same name on 11th Street in Tulsa.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
The back of his jacket, where it should have a football or basketball mascot, says GHS ROBOTICS.
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
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.
