medal

[ med-l ]

/ ˈmɛd l /

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noun

a flat piece of metal, often a disk but sometimes a cross, star, or other form, usually bearing an inscription or design, issued to commemorate a person, action, or event, or given as a reward for bravery, merit, or the like: a gold medal for the best swimmer.

a similar object bearing a religious image, as of a saint: a Saint Christopher's medal.

verb (used with object), med·aled, med·al·ing or (especially British) med·alled, med·al·ling.

to decorate or honor with a medal.

verb (used without object), med·aled, med·al·ing or (especially British) med·alled, med·al·ling.

to receive a medal, especially in a sporting event: He medaled in three of four races.

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THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

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Origin of medal

1580–90; earlier medaille<Middle French <Italian medaglia copper coin worth a halfpenny <Vulgar Latin *medalia, variant (by dissimilation) of Late Latin mediālia, noun use of neuter plural (taken as feminine singular) of mediālismedial

OTHER WORDS FROM medal

un·med·aled, adjectiveun·med·alled, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH medal

medal , meddle, metal, mettle

Words nearby medal

mecopterous, med, médaillon, médaillons, medaka, medal, medalet, Medal for Merit, medalist, medallic, medallion

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use medal in a sentence

Still, stripping Keller of his medals seems like, at best, a long shot.
Why Olympic Swimmer Klete Keller, Arrested for Allegedly Invading the Capitol, Probably Won't Lose His Olympic Medals|Sean Gregory|January 14, 2021|Time
Earlier this year, the Climate Action Campaign gave San Diego a “silver” on the Olympic medal scale in terms of how well t did on the old.
San Diego’s Climate Challenges Will Still Be Here in 2021 – and Beyond|MacKenzie Elmer|January 1, 2021|Voice of San Diego
An American athlete hadn’t earned a medal of any color in the 10,000 meters since the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan—22 years before Rupp was born.
Inside a secret running program at Nike and a win-at-all-costs corporate culture|Rachel King|October 6, 2020|Fortune
They earn up to seven points per problem, and top scorers take home medals, just like at the Olympic Games.
At the Math Olympiad, Computers Prepare to Go for the Gold|Kevin Hartnett|September 21, 2020|Quanta Magazine

In an FKT attempt, there are no bibs, no crowds and no medals.
Canceled Races Aren’t Stopping Endurance Athletes From Setting Wild New Records|Anna Wiederkehr (anna.wiederkehr@abc.com)|July 20, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush.
It’s Not Just Cosby: Hollywood’s Long List of Male Scumbags|Asawin Suebsaeng|November 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was, I have to say, at the bottom of the hierarchy of royal honors, a British Empire Medal.
I Saw Nuclear Armageddon Sitting on My Desk|Clive Irving|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Alberto Barbera, director of the Venice Film Festival, took the stage, flanked by a woman holding a trophy and a medal.
James Franco Shot His New Movie at the Venice Film Festival and I Was in It|Marlow Stern|September 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even without a Fields Medal, Maryam is one of the great mathematicians of our time.
Iranian Math Genius Mirzakhani Unveiled by President Rouhani|IranWire|August 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That same year, Clinton awarded Brady the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award given to civilians.
Jim Brady, Reagan’s Gentle ‘Bear’ Who Roared Back to Life After Being Shot|Eleanor Clift|August 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This was shown at the Paris Salon, 1889, and missed the gold medal by two votes.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
For his services on the Nive as commander of the first brigade of guards, he received a medal.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
Adamov left the school with a gold medal and rose rapidly to a high place in the Ministry of Justice.
The Life & Letters of Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky|Modeste Tchaikovsky
Martin Falleix obtained a brevet for invention and a gold medal at the Exposition of 1824.
Repertory Of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A -- Z|Anatole Cerfberr and Jules Franois Christophe
I managed to obtain the Distinguished Conduct Medal for the bugler who always accompanies me everywhere on my peregrinations.
Letters of Lt.-Col. George Brenton Laurie|George Brenton Laurie

British Dictionary definitions for medal

medal

/ (ˈmɛdəl) /

noun

a small flat piece of metal bearing an inscription or image, given as an award or commemoration of some outstanding action, event, etc

verb -als, -alling or -alled or US -als, -aling or -aled

(tr) to honour with a medal

(intr) informal (in sport) to win a medal

Derived forms of medal

medallic (mɪˈdælɪk), adjective

Word Origin for medal

C16: from French médaille, probably from Italian medaglia, ultimately from Latin metallum metal

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

medal

Origin of medal

OTHER WORDS FROM medal

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH medal

Words nearby medal

Words related to medal

How to use medal in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for medal

Derived forms of medal

Word Origin for medal