emblem
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a design or object that represents a group, a country, or a family.
n.a distinctive badge or heraldic device that serves as a symbol for a particular entity, such as a nation or organisation.
Simple“The national emblem of Canada is the maple leaf.”
In context“The regiment's emblem was prominently displayed on the gates of the barracks, featuring a golden eagle against a deep blue background.”
UsageOften used with 'of' to show what the symbol represents.
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.something that is a perfect example of a larger idea or feeling.
n.a person or thing that serves as a concrete representation of an abstract quality or a larger social movement.
Simple“For many people, the old factory was an emblem of the city's history.”
In context“The crumbling architecture became a tragic emblem of the once-prosperous region's economic decline.”
Teacher's tipIn this sense, 'emblem' is more formal and literary than 'symbol'.
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
n.an old type of picture with a short poem that teaches a lesson about life.
n.a picture accompanied by a motto or verses intended to provide a moral lesson or religious meditation.
Simple“The book contained several emblems showing the dangers of greed.”
In context“Renaissance scholars often studied complex emblems that combined intricate woodcuts with Latin poetry to convey philosophical truths.”
Synonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
v.to be a symbol of something.
v.to represent or serve as a symbol for something else.
Simple“The white rose was used to emblem the purity of the queen.”
In context“In his earlier poems, the author sought to emblem the struggle between nature and industry through vivid floral imagery.”
“Despite his east coast roots, Shakur was an emblem of west coast hip-hop, joining Knight’s Death Row Records in their bitter and gang-intertwined rivalry with Sean “Puffy” Combs’s New York City-based Bad Boy Records.”
“My research shows that the species has carried a variety of meanings in the United States, ranging from a prized source of leather for luxury fashion to an emblem of Florida identity.”
From Old French embleme, from Latin emblema (“raised ornaments on vessels, tessellated work, mosaic”), from Ancient Greek ἔμβλημα (émblēma, “an insertion”), from ἐμβάλλειν (embállein, “to put in, to lay on”). Doublet of emblema.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.