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badge

n. · v.
US //ˈbædʒ// UK //bˈædʒ// badge
  1. 1 identification emblem (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a small object you wear on your clothes to show who you are or what group you belong to.

    a distinctive emblem or insignia worn on clothing to indicate rank, office, or membership in an organisation.

    Example

    The police officer showed his badge before asking the driver for identification.

    Example

    Every conference attendee was required to wear a name badge to facilitate networking during the breakout sessions.
  2. 2 digital icon (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Computing

    a small picture on a website or app that shows you have finished a task or won a prize.

    a digital icon or visual indicator awarded to a user within a software environment to signify an achievement or status.

    Example

    I earned a gold badge on the language app for practicing every day for a month.

    Example

    The gamification strategy includes awarding digital badges to employees who complete the mandatory cybersecurity training modules ahead of schedule.
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  1. 3 access card (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a plastic card used to open doors or enter a private building.

    a security credential, often in card form with a magnetic strip or chip, used to grant access to restricted areas.

    Example

    You need to swipe your badge at the main gate to enter the office.

    Example

    The security system logs every time a staff member uses their badge to enter the laboratory after hours.
  2. 4 police officer (n.)
    C1 Advanced Slang American English

    a slang word for a police officer.

    a metonymic slang term for a law enforcement officer, derived from the physical shield they carry.

    Example

    He didn't want to talk while there was a badge standing nearby.

    Example

    The local residents were wary of any badge entering the neighborhood without a specific warrant or explanation.

    Teacher's tip

    This usage is often found in crime dramas or informal American speech; it can sound slightly disrespectful or confrontational depending on the tone.
  3. 5 to scan for entry (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    to use an electronic card to enter a building or room.

    to gain entry to a restricted area by scanning or presenting an identification badge.

    Example

    I forgot to badge in this morning, so the system thinks I am absent.

    Example

    Employees are required to badge out whenever they leave the secure facility, even for short breaks.

    Usage

    Often used as a phrasal verb with 'in' or 'out'.
Origin

From Middle English badge, bagge, bage, bagy, from Anglo-Norman bage or Medieval Latin bagea, bagia (“sign, emblem”), of uncertain origin. Possibly derived from Medieval Latin baga (“ring”), from Old Saxon bāg, bōg (“ring, ornament”), from Proto-Germanic *baugaz (“ring, bracelet, armband”); or possibly the Anglo-Norman word is derived from an earlier, unattested English word (compare Old English bēag (“ring, bracelet, collar, crown”). Cognate with Scots bagie, badgie, bawgy (“badge”).

Word family
Idioms2 entries

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