badge

1 of 2

noun

ˈbaj 

plural badges

1

: a device or token especially of membership in a society or group

2

: a characteristic mark

3

: an emblem awarded for a particular accomplishment

4

British : button sense 1b

Solicitors have reacted with dismay after Staffordshire courts ordered them to remove "political" badges.

—Birmingham Post

badge

2 of 2

verb

badged; badging; badges

transitive verb

: to mark or distinguish (someone or something) with or as if with a badge

Guests arrived and were counted and badged.

—The New Yorker

They were dressed in uniform, too, but theirs were everyday uniforms, not ceremonial. Dark olive cloth, worn and creased, badged here and there with the unfamiliar insignia of their rank.

—Lee Child

My daughter's hands were raw and scraped from shucking four hundred oysters the night before, her knuckles badged with tiny, brilliant, forming scabs.

—William Boyd

Examples of badge in a Sentence

Noun

The policeman flashed his badge.

Don't forget to wear your name badge.

The receptionist glanced at my visitor's badge.

She earned 10 merit badges in scouting.

She was wearing a badge that read “Support your local library.”

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The three agents, one in a balaclava-style ski mask, ignored demands from observers to show badges or a warrant, the video shows. —Gene Johnson and Heather Hollingsworth, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025

Criticised for his work-rate at both Arsenal and Manchester United, Mkhitaryan had literally run the Nike badge off his shirt by full time. —Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 1 May 2025

Verb

There seems to always be another automotive diadem out there, waiting to impart regality to any collection, and it’s often badged with the iconic Prancing Horse. —Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2025

There is also Hennessey badging on nearly every surface and 20-inch lightweight performance wheels. —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bage, bagge, of obscure origin

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing badge

• badge of honor/pride
• film badge

Rhymes for badge

• hajj
• madge

Kids Definition

badge

noun

ˈbaj 

: a mark or sign worn to show that a person belongs to a certain group, class, or rank