hallmark

1 of 2

noun

hall·​mark ˈhȯl-ˌmärk 

1

a

: an official mark stamped on gold and silver articles in England to attest their purity

b

: 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

hallmark

2 of 2

verb

hallmarked; hallmarking; hallmarks

transitive verb

: to stamp with a mark that indicates origin, purity, or genuineness : to stamp with a hallmark (see hallmark entry 1)

Did you know?

The Golden History of Hallmark

In the year 1300, King Edward I of England (His Excellency also known most excellently as "Edward Longshanks") established a standard for gold and silver to ensure quality and prevent fraud. Thereafter precious metals had to be tested and approved by master craftsmen (and given the mark of a leopard's head) before being sold. Over the ensuing centuries, many London artisans brought their finished metal goods to Goldsmiths' Hall, where the Goldsmiths' Company had a charter to grant their unique mark of approval to wares that met standards of purity. (The process is much the same today.) At first, people used hallmark to name that mark of excellence from Goldsmiths' Hall, but over the years the word came to refer to any mark guaranteeing purity or genuineness, and eventually to any distinguishing characteristic, trait, or feature.

Synonyms

Noun

• emblem
• ensign
• impresa
• logo
• symbol
• totem
• trademark

Examples of hallmark in a Sentence

Noun

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 on the Web

Noun

Now, the university points proudly to that activism as one of the hallmarks of its culture, and markets it to prospective students. —Alan Blinder, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024

In fact, such moments are a hallmark of Borzage’s work. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Goldsmiths' Hall, London, England, where gold and silver articles were assayed and stamped

First Known Use

Noun

1721, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1773, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

hallmark

noun

hall·​mark

ˈhȯl-ˌmärk

1

: an official mark stamped on gold and silver articles in England to certify their purity

2

: a distinguishing characteristic or feature

bears the hallmarks of genius

hallmark verb

Etymology

Noun

named for Goldsmith's Hall in London, England, where gold and silver articles formerly were tested for purity and stamped