label

noun

la·bel | \ ˈlā-bəl

Definition of label

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a slip (as of paper or cloth) inscribed and affixed to something for identification or description The name is prominently displayed on the label.

b : written or printed matter accompanying an article to furnish identification or other information Read the warning label before taking any medicine.

c : a descriptive or identifying word or phrase: such as

(1) : epithet acquired the label of "playboy"

(2) : a word or phrase used with a dictionary definition to provide additional information The label obsolete is abbreviated obs.

d : a usually radioactive isotope used in labeling

2a(1) : a brand of commercial recordings issued under a usually trademarked name

(2) : a company issuing such recordings The band has made records for several different labels.

(3) : a recording so issued

b : the brand name of a retail store selling clothing, a clothing manufacturer, or a fashion designer She only buys clothes with a designer label.

3 : an adhesive stamp (as for postage or revenue)

4 : a heraldic charge that consists of a narrow horizontal band with usually three pendants

5 archaic : band, fillet specifically : one attached to a document to hold an appended seal

label

verb

labeled or labelled; labeling or labelling\ ˈlā-b(ə-)liŋ

Definition of label (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to affix a label to labeled the switches so as not to confuse them

b : to describe or designate with or as if with a label labels his photos with the date and place they were taken

2a : to distinguish (an element or atom) by using an isotope (see isotope sense 1) distinctive in some manner (as in mass or radioactivity)

b : to distinguish (something, such as a compound or cell) by introducing a traceable constituent (such as a dye or labeled atom)

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Synonyms for label

Synonyms: Noun

Synonyms: Verb

Examples of label in a Sentence

Noun The name is prominently displayed on the label. You should read the warning label before you take any medicine. The word was given the label “obsolete.” Some people describe him as “selfish,” but he doesn't deserve that label. Once you give people labels, it's hard to see them as individuals. The band has made records for several different labels in their career. Verb Be sure to carefully label the switches so that you don't confuse them. He labels his photographs with the date and place they were taken.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun As Hanifa continues to advance in fashion, with each collection the label’s pieces progress. — Nandi Howard, Essence, "Shop Now: Hanifa Drrops 2nd Release From Spring Capsule Collection," 9 Apr. 2021 Since then, the partners have won some awards and kept customers engaged with virtual wine tastings and recipes on the label's site that can be paired with its bevvies. — Lisa Respers France, CNN, "Celebs getting a taste of wine success," 8 Apr. 2021 The incorrect tire size was printed on the Tire and Loading Information label. — Detroit Free Press, "Car recalls for April 1-8 include 628,000 Acuras, 60,000 Chevrolets," 8 Apr. 2021 Use chemical controls only when necessary and only after thoroughly reading the pesticide label. — oregonlive, "Oregon gardeners, here’s your April to-do list," 7 Apr. 2021 Known for her ability to take style risks that pay off, the model is making a strong case for the label's revival in 2021. — Shelby Ying Hyde, Harper's BAZAAR, "Bella Hadid Wore Low-Rise Von Dutch Jeans Because Time Is a Flat Circle," 7 Apr. 2021 Signed to the Mexican powerhouse label Rancho Humilde, Bo Bundy is on his way to the top. — Shelby Stewart, Chron, "Here are five Houston artists you should be listening to," 7 Apr. 2021 The output of all this thinking was the carbon label on each of our salads and a climatarian menu [on orderjustsalad.com] that curates the lowest emissions items. — Christopher Marquis, Forbes, "Making Salads Even Greener: Just Salad Is Bringing Zero-Waste Dining Into The Mainstream," 6 Apr. 2021 Meanwhile, Prinsloo, 32, matches with their other daughter in an off-shoulder frock with another tie-dye pattern by the same label. — Gabrielle Chung, PEOPLE.com, "Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo Wear Matching Dresses with Daughters: 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun'," 6 Apr. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The researchers didn’t actually study the toxins necessary to label a species as venomous. — Chris Smith, BGR, "A new study says humans might have the genetic capability to spit venom," 5 Apr. 2021 Owens and conservative super PACs sought to label McAdams as an out-of-touch liberal in Utah’s 4th Congressional District. — Matt Canham, The Salt Lake Tribune, "Utah’s Ben McAdams joins group promising to combat Republican ‘lies’," 5 Apr. 2021 Over the past few months, that figure has been used repeatedly to label African Americans as more vaccine hesitant than any other segment of the population, but the results of other surveys tell a different story. — Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, "Why Are Black Communities Being Singled Out as Vaccine Hesitant?," 9 Mar. 2021 Today, some Justice Department officials are pushing to label Trump-supporting insurrectionists as domestic terrorists. — David Cunningham, The Conversation, "What the policing response to the KKK in the 1960s can teach about dismantling white supremacist groups today," 4 Mar. 2021 Then be sure to label all junk mail as spam; that helps the spam filter do a better job. — Steve Alexander, Star Tribune, "Strategies to keep spam from flooding our inbox," 23 Aug. 2020 The administration also announced plans to reverse an 11th-hour Trump administration decision to label the Houthis as a foreign terrorist group. — Washington Post, "As Biden pushes for peace, Yemeni rebels ramp up strikes on Saudi Arabia," 12 Mar. 2021 Many products for houseplants will also label ferns as appropriate subjects for use. — oregonlive, "Ask an expert: Is soggy soil the cause of yellowing daphne?," 21 Feb. 2021 Why not use construction paper and tape to label them? — Lindsey E. Murphy, Scientific American, "Carbonic Colors: Fizzy, Washable Sidewalk Paint," 6 Oct. 2011

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'label.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near label

la belle dame sans merci

Statistics for label

Last Updated

14 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Label.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/label. Accessed 20 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for label

label

noun

English Language Learners Definition of label

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a piece of paper, cloth, or similar material that is attached to something to identify or describe it

: a word or phrase that describes or identifies something or someone

: a company that produces musical recordings

label

verb

English Language Learners Definition of label (Entry 2 of 2)

: to put a word or name on something to describe or identify it : to attach a label to (something)

: to name or describe (someone or something) in a specified way : to give a label to (someone or something)

See the full definition for label in the English Language Learners Dictionary

label

noun

la·bel | \ ˈlā-bəl

Kids Definition of label

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a slip (as of paper or cloth) attached to something to identify or describe it

2 : a word or phrase that describes or names something or someone a part-of-speech label

label

verb

labeled or labelled; labeling or labelling

Kids Definition of label (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to put a word or words on (something) to identify or describe it Be sure to label your belongings.

2 : to name or describe with or as if with a label The team was labeled “the Dream Team.”

label

noun

la·bel | \ ˈlā-bəl

Medical Definition of label

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a usually radioactive isotope used in labeling

label

transitive verb

labeled or labelled; labeling or labelling\ ˈlā-b(ə-)liŋ

Medical Definition of label (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to distinguish (an element or atom) by using an isotope distinctive in some manner (as in mass or radioactivity) for tracing through chemical reactions or biological processes

2 : to distinguish (as a compound or cell) by introducing a traceable constituent (as a dye or labeled atom)

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