medal
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a flat piece of metal, usually like a coin, given as a prize for winning a race or for doing something brave.
n.a small, flat piece of metal, typically circular, awarded as a mark of distinction for military bravery or sporting excellence.
Simple“The runner was proud to wear her gold medal after winning the marathon.”
In context“The veteran was presented with a silver medal for gallantry during the ceremony at the capital.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a metal disc worn for religious reasons or as a piece of jewellery.
n.a metal disc used as a personal ornament, a religious charm, or a commemorative object not necessarily tied to a competition.
Simple“He wore a small St. Christopher medal on a chain around his neck for protection.”
In context“The antique shop displayed several nineteenth-century religious medals crafted from tarnished bronze and silver.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
v.to officially give a medal to someone.
v.to decorate or honour a person by awarding them a medal. This transitive use is less common than the intransitive sporting sense.
Simple“The general will medal the soldiers for their service during the parade.”
In context“The state chose to medal the returning explorers in recognition of their significant contributions to geographic science.”
Usage medal tally
“Jack Coscoran brought his 1500m campaign to an end with an impressive bronze medal.”
“While Oosterwegel passed the Italian to win the race, O'Connor was within a second which was enough to claim a second gold medal in a matter of weeks.”
From Middle English [Term?], from Middle French medaille, medale, from Italian medaglia (originally "half a denarius"), from Early Medieval Latin medālia, feminine derived via dissimilation (/dj–lj/ > /d–lj/) from mediālia, neuter plural of Late Latin mediālis (“middle”, adjective), from Classical Latin medius.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.