Badge: Definition, Usage & Common Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：identification emblem (badge)

badge 🔊

/bædʒ/

A small piece of metal or cloth you wear to show who you are or what group you belong to.

identification emblem 🔊

➕

/aɪˌdɛntəfɪˈkeɪʃən ˈɛmbləm/

A physical object, often made of metal, plastic, or cloth, worn or carried to publicly display one's identity, affiliation, or authorization.

📁 Category：Objects & Materials 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old French 'bage', 'bagde', meaning a token or emblem.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of a BADGE as something you ADD to your GEar to show who you are.

📖 Example

On his first day of university, he proudly pinned the student ID badge to his backpack. 🔊 He attached his student identification emblem to his bag with great pride on his first day at university.

🔗 Collocations

wear a badge – to have an identification emblem attached to one's clothing

security badge – an identification emblem that grants access to restricted areas

official badge – an emblem that formally signifies a position of authority

🔄 Synonyms

emblem (n.) – A heraldic device or symbolic object representing a group or quality.

insignia (n.) – A distinguishing badge or emblem of military rank, office, or membership.

patch (n.) – A piece of cloth with a design, often sewn onto clothing as a badge.

🌱 Derivatives

badger (v.) – To pester or annoy someone persistently.

badging (n.) – The system or act of issuing badges.

📖 Cultural Story

Originating in the Middle Ages, a 'badge' was often a heraldic device or a pilgrim's token. The word's evolution reflects a shift from physical decorative items on knights' lances to a symbol of membership or achievement, prominent today in scouting, conferences, and as digital verification symbols online.

Meaning 2：symbol of status (badge)

badge 🔊

/bædʒ/

Something that shows you have a certain quality or are in a certain situation.

symbol of status 🔊

➕

/ˈsɪmbəl əv ˈsteɪtəs/

A characteristic, experience, or possession that serves as a visible sign or indicator of a particular quality, condition, or social position.

📁 Category：Social Roles 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

For him, his old, simple clothing was a badge of his humble background, not something to be ashamed of. 🔊 He viewed his worn, modest clothes as a symbol representing his modest origins, not a source of embarrassment.

🔗 Collocations

badge of honor – something worn or displayed as a mark of pride for an achievement

badge of courage – a symbol representing bravery in the face of difficulty

bear the badge of – to carry the visible sign or consequence of something

🔄 Synonyms

symbol (n.) – A mark or character used as a conventional representation of an object or idea.

mark (n.) – A visible sign or characteristic of a particular quality or condition.

token (n.) – A thing serving as a symbol or evidence of a fact, promise, or feeling.