insignia

noun

in·​sig·​nia in-ˈsig-nē-ə How to pronounce insignia (audio)
variants or less commonly insigne
plural insignia or insignias
1
: a badge of authority or honor
2
: a distinguishing mark or sign

Did you know?

Insignia are the official signs of rank, titles, or awards. Medals are an example, as are the crowns of monarchs. The Catholic church employs such insignia as the red robes of cardinals. U.S. presidents have the presidential seal, which appears on the stand when they're giving a speech. But most of us think first of the bars, stripes, badges, and patches of military rank.

Examples of insignia in a Sentence

Their jackets have the school's insignia on the front.
Recent Examples on the Web The mother and daughter smiled as the Prince of Wales pinned on the insignias and spoke about what the recognition meant. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2024 The convoy, consisting of 10 aid trucks and two armored vehicles marked with UN insignia, started its journey in the early hours of February 5. Katie Polglase, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024 Of course, countries want these government documents to look official and probably want to stray from frivolous color palettes and insignia. Melanie Lieberman, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2024 Some of the team insignias and logos are no longer stitched directly onto the jersey, giving them less of a classy, throwback feel. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2024 The right to wear clothing with BLM insignia or other social justice apparel in the workplace became a big issue in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police in May 2020. Anne D'innocenzio, Quartz, 21 Feb. 2024 The Roots, meanwhile, have been striving to remain in the city whose tree insignia inspired the franchise’s name and branding, as well as its guiding ethos — to be rooted in Oakland amid the departure of other sports franchises. Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2024 For its first flight, the Vulcan rocket is emblazoned with a red flame-like insignia, a US flag, and the logos of United Launch Alliance and Astrobotic, which owns the lunar lander nestled inside the rocket's payload fairing. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 5 Jan. 2024 It was filled with engravings, frescoes, those papal insignias, fleurs-de-lis of the kings of France, and a shield with the symbol of the Della Rovere family. Chiara Barzini, Vogue, 28 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'insignia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin insignia, plural of insigne mark, badge, from neuter of insignis marked, distinguished, from in- + signum mark — more at sign

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of insignia was in 1648

Dictionary Entries Near insignia

Cite this Entry

“Insignia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insignia. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

insignia

noun
in·​sig·​nia in-ˈsig-nē-ə How to pronounce insignia (audio)
plural insignia or insignias
: an emblem of a special authority, office, or honor : badge
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!