insignia
noun
in·sig·nia
in-ˈsig-nē-ə 
variants
or less commonly insigne
plural insignia or insignias
1
: a badge of authority or honor
2
: a distinguishing mark or sign
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Insignia are the official signs of rank, titles, or awards. Medals are an example, as are the crowns of monarchs. The Catholic church employs such insignia as the red robes of cardinals. U.S. presidents have the presidential seal, which appears on the stand when they're giving a speech. But most of us think first of the bars, stripes, badges, and patches of military rank.
Examples of insignia in a Sentence
Their jackets have the school's insignia on the front.
Recent Examples on the Web
Of all the hats Herschel Bloom wore during his life, his favorite was a baseball cap with the Yankees insignia on it, his friends said.
—
Rebecca McCarthy, AJC.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The old-school sign glowing atop the building beckons us inside, like some insignia of fast food proselytization.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 29 Jan. 2026
Outside, a man wearing a leather biker vest bearing the insignia of the Latin American Motorcycle Association, his blond beard flecked with ice crystals, directed a line of cars through the snow.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
Many wore yellow T-shirts and caps emblazoned with the insignia of the ruling National Resistance Movement — and images of the octogenarian president.
—Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insignia
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Rebecca McCarthy, AJC.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The old-school sign glowing atop the building beckons us inside, like some insignia of fast food proselytization.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 29 Jan. 2026
Outside, a man wearing a leather biker vest bearing the insignia of the Latin American Motorcycle Association, his blond beard flecked with ice crystals, directed a line of cars through the snow.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
Many wore yellow T-shirts and caps emblazoned with the insignia of the ruling National Resistance Movement — and images of the octogenarian president.
—Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insignia
Cite this Entry
“Insignia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insignia. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
insignia
noun
in·sig·nia
in-ˈsig-nē-ə
plural insignia or insignias
: an emblem of a special authority, office, or honor : badge
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