Definitions
01a symbol or badge
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
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.
Español:emblema
“The national emblem of Canada is the maple leaf.”
“The regiment's emblem was prominently displayed on the gates of the barracks, featuring a golden eagle against a deep blue background.”
Usage
Often used with 'of' to show what the symbol represents.
02a representative example
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
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.
“For many people, the old factory was an emblem of the city's history.”
“The crumbling architecture became a tragic emblem of the once-prosperous region's economic decline.”
Teaching tip
In this sense, 'emblem' is more formal and literary than 'symbol'.
Synonyms
03moral picture
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literature Archaic · Literary
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.
“The book contained several emblems showing the dangers of greed.”
“Renaissance scholars often studied complex emblems that combined intricate woodcuts with Latin poetry to convey philosophical truths.”
Synonyms
04to represent
C2 · Proficiency Archaic
v. to be a symbol of something.
v. to represent or serve as a symbol for something else.
“The white rose was used to emblem the purity of the queen.”
“In his earlier poems, the author sought to emblem the struggle between nature and industry through vivid floral imagery.”
Real-World Examples
“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.” Etymology
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.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
- アルファベット
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/emblem
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0