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badge
/bædʒ/
identifying emblem
She wore her name badge at the conference.
She displayed a badge that shows her name.
formal
A small object or emblem worn to show a person's affiliation, rank, or achievement.
The police officer flashed his badge before entering the building.
The officer showed his official identification.
He earned a gold badge for completing the marathon.
He received a gold emblem as a reward.
Often used for work IDs, scouting awards, or digital icons in software.
informal
To give someone a badge, especially as a mark of honor or authority.
The community decided to badge the most helpful members.
They awarded a special emblem to the most helpful members.
Verb form is less common; usually appears in tech or gaming contexts.
Collocations
badge of honora symbol showing respect or achievementsecurity badgean identification card used for access controlbadge numberthe unique identifier printed on a badge
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Physical vs. Digital
When talking about a software notification, use ‘badge’ (e.g., ‘You have a badge on the app’) rather than ‘pin’.
Word Origin
From Middle English *badge*, from Old French *bague* meaning ‘seal, badge’, ultimately from Latin *bacca* ‘berry, small round object’.
Usage Notes
In modern usage, ‘badge’ can refer to physical items (e.g., name tags) or digital icons (e.g., app notification badges).
English Dictionary