English Reference

Word

medallion

Phoneticsmedal·lion

US/məˈdæɫjən/

UK/mədˈæliən/

Definition

n. a piece of jewelry shaped like a large coin, often worn on a chain around the neck. It can also be a round metal award given to someone for doing something great.

n. a large medal or coin-shaped piece of jewellery, typically worn as a pendant. In architectural or artistic contexts, refers to a circular decorative element or tablet containing a portrait or ornament.

Examples

“He wore a gold medallion over his black sweater.”

“The winner of the marathon proudly displayed her bronze medallion to the cheering crowd.”

“The ceiling of the ballroom was decorated with intricate plaster medallions, each depicting a different scene from classical mythology.”

Examples

simple

“He wore a gold medallion over his black sweater.”

contextual

“The winner of the marathon proudly displayed her bronze medallion to the cheering crowd.”

complex

“The ceiling of the ballroom was decorated with intricate plaster medallions, each depicting a different scene from classical mythology.”

Usage

Commonly used in jewellery contexts or to describe architectural ornaments.

Real-World Examples

“Match officials were the first to be presented with their medallions before the Sri Lankan players stepped up for their medals.”
Al Jazeera · 13 Sept 2026
“A printer equipped the travelling party with posters for the train trip from Dieppe – Reserved for Penguin Books – and cardboard medallions featuring the company logo.”
The Guardian · 27 Oct 2015

Etymology

Borrowed from French médaillon.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domain

Art

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference