status symbol

American  

noun

1. an object, habit, etc., by which the social or economic status of the possessor may be judged.

---

status symbol British  

noun

1. a possession which is regarded as proof of the owner's social position, wealth, prestige, etc

---

status symbol Idioms  

1. A position or activity that allows one's social prestige to be displayed, as in She doesn't even drive; that car of hers is purely a status symbol. [Mid-1900s]

---

Example Sentences

Maybe the youths’ next analog status symbol could be a cathode-ray tube.

From Slate • May 3, 2026

For Counterpoint analyst Yang Wang, the iPhone is the most successful consumer electronics product ever, reshaping human communication while becoming "a global fashion and status symbol."

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

Owning a pet bird was - and for some generations in China, still is - a status symbol.

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025

It’s a backdrop for $1,000 waterproof jackets with a dinosaur-fossil logo that have become a status symbol for finance bros and streetwear enthusiasts in Shanghai, London and New York.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 6, 2025

Why is this status symbol so important to rich people, anyway?

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins