plural badges
1
: a small object (such as a tag, pin, or metal shield) that is worn or held up by a person so that it can be easily seen, that has writing (such as a person's name) and often a picture on it, and that shows who the person is
The policeman flashed his badge.
Don't forget to wear your name badge.
The receptionist glanced at my visitor's badge.
2
: a cloth patch that can be sewn onto clothing and that is awarded to a person (such as a Boy Scout or Girl Scout) for doing something
She earned 10 merit badges in scouting.
3
British
: button entry 1 sense 2
She was wearing a badge that read "Support your local library."
4
: something that represents or is a sign of something else
She viewed her failures as a badge of humanity.
He wore his ethnic heritage as a badge of honor/pride. [=he was proud of his ethnic heritage and did not try to hide it]
Cite this Entry
“Badge.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/badge. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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