badge

1 of 2

noun

plural badges
1
: a device or token especially of membership in a society or group
2
: a characteristic mark
3
: an emblem awarded for a particular accomplishment
4
British : button sense 1b
Solicitors have reacted with dismay after Staffordshire courts ordered them to remove "political" badges.Birmingham Post

badge

2 of 2

verb

badged; badging; badges

transitive verb

: to mark or distinguish (someone or something) with or as if with a badge
Guests arrived and were counted and badged.The New Yorker
They were dressed in uniform, too, but theirs were everyday uniforms, not ceremonial. Dark olive cloth, worn and creased, badged here and there with the unfamiliar insignia of their rank.Lee Child
My daughter's hands were raw and scraped from shucking four hundred oysters the night before, her knuckles badged with tiny, brilliant, forming scabs.William Boyd

Examples of badge in a Sentence

Noun The policeman flashed his badge. Don't forget to wear your name badge. The receptionist glanced at my visitor's badge. She earned 10 merit badges in scouting. She was wearing a badge that read “Support your local library.”
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
One of the Musk aides used his laptop to block his ID badge from view. Nicholas Nehamas, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025 Many had their badges and equipment taken without a formal termination letter, Ellis said. Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
Details: Today through March 2; various San Francisco venues; Tickets vary per show, all-show general admission badges $289.71; information, complete schedule, tickets and more is available at www.noisepopfest.com. Randy McMullen, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2025 Volvo's been slapping Cross Country badges on its more rugged offerings for nearly 30 years now. New Atlas, 16 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for badge

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bage, bagge, of obscure origin

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of badge was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Badge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/badge. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

badge

noun
: a mark or sign worn to show that a person belongs to a certain group, class, or rank

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