Definition of hallmark
1a : an official mark stamped on gold and silver articles in England to attest their purityb : a mark or device placed or stamped on an article of trade to indicate origin, purity, or genuineness a hallmark from the Ming dynasty
2 : a distinguishing characteristic, trait, or feature the dramatic flourishes which are the hallmark of the trial lawyer — Marion K. Sanders
From the M-W Editors
hallmark was our Word of the Day on 03/26/2013. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of hallmark in a Sentence
He had all the hallmarks of a great baseball player.
Humor is one of the hallmarks of her style.
The murder bore all the hallmarks of a serial killer's work.
Recent Examples of hallmark from the Web
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The rest of the house incorporates so much strong color, from dark greens to teal and turquoise and, of course, red, which is a hallmark of our work.
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Many of Luhrmann’s hallmarks—vibrant, gaudy color; huge theatrical setpieces; anachronistic music—give the 10-part series a distinctive sense of style.
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That fear of contamination is a hallmark of OCD — the Wikipedia page for the disorder features an image of a man washing his hands — but intense germophobia represents only one form OCD can take.
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One of the hallmarks of a good server is patience, and ours had it in spades.
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Colombia’s newest television series will have many of the hallmarks of a classic telenovela.
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A longtime Cohn friend simply recognized the hallmark talent of a man whose career was built around being a company’s No.
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Most people who have lived through a renovation know the hallmark of a bad contractor.
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The second hallmark of a psychopathic brain is an overactive reward system especially primed for drugs, sex, or anything else that delivers a ping of excitement.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hallmark.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Golden History of hallmark
Centuries ago, King Edward I of England decreed that gold and silver had to be tested and approved by master craftsmen before being sold. Later, London artisans were required to bring finished metal goods to Goldsmith's Hall to be checked, and if those items met the quality standards of the craft-masters there, they would be marked with a special stamp of approval. (The process is much the same today.) At first, people used hallmark to name that mark of excellence from Goldsmith's Hall, but over the years the word came to refer to any mark guaranteeing purity or genuineness, and eventually to name any sign of outstanding talent, creativity, or excellence.
Origin and Etymology of hallmark
Goldsmiths' Hall, London, England, where gold and silver articles were assayed and stamped
Other Business Terms
hallmark
Definition of hallmark
transitive verb
: to stamp with a mark that indicates origin, purity, or genuineness : to stamp with a hallmark (see 1hallmark)
Origin and Etymology of hallmark
see 1hallmark
HALLMARK Defined for English Language Learners
hallmark
playDefinition of hallmark for English Language Learners
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: a quality, ability, etc., that is typical of a particular person or thing
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: an official mark that is put on gold and silver objects in Britain to indicate their purity
Learn More about hallmark
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See words that rhyme with hallmark Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hallmark Spanish Central: Translation of hallmark Nglish: Translation of hallmark for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of hallmark for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hallmark
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