Standard Lemma guide

earmark

noun · verb · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɪəmɑːk/
  • General-American: /ˈɪ(ə)ɹˌmɑɹk/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH1 R M AA2 R K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: IY1 R M AA2 R K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A mark made or tag attached to the ear of an animal (chiefly a livestock animal), generally to identify or indicate something about the animal, such as ownership, health or gestation status, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: agriculture, business, lifestyle

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lugmark

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: ear tag

2

noun

Meaning 2

A distinguishing or identifying mark or sign; specifically (archaic), a mark of ownership.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An act of designating certain funds to be used for a specific purpose.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Topics: business, finance

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Specifically, a designation by the Congress that certain federal funds be appropriated for a specific project.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, figuratively

Topics: government, politics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: lettermark, phonemark

5

verb

Meaning 5

To make a mark or attach a tag to the ear of (an animal, chiefly a livestock animal), generally to identify or indicate something about the animal, such as ownership.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: agriculture, business, lifestyle

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: ear-tag

6

verb

Meaning 6

To put a distinguishing or identifying mark or sign on (something); to make (something) distinctive or identifiable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose; to allocate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: allot, appropriate, allocate, shelve, assign, dedicate, detach, designate, earmark, preselect, put aside, secern, secernate, separate, sepose, sequester, set apart, set aside

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

Chiefly followed by for: to designate (certain funds) to be used for a specific purpose.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, transitive

Topics: business, finance

Examples

  • You can donate to the organization as a whole, or you can earmark your contribution for a particular project.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

Chiefly followed by for: to designate (certain funds) to be used for a specific purpose.

To designate (part of a pension) to be payable to the holder's former spouse or payment when the pension is paid.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, figuratively, transitive

Topics: business, finance

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

Chiefly followed by for: to designate (certain funds) to be used for a specific purpose.

Of the Congress: to designate that certain federal funds be appropriated for a specific project.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, figuratively, transitive

Topics: business, finance, government, politics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: lettermark, phonemark

11

noun

Meaning 11

a distinctive characteristic or attribute

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hallmark, trademark, stylemark

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: characteristic

Narrower terms: mold, mould

12

noun

Meaning 12

identification mark on the ear of a domestic animal

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: marker, marking, mark

13

verb

Meaning 13

give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I will earmark this money for your research
  • She sets aside time for meditation every day

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: allow, appropriate, set aside, reserve

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: assign, allot, portion

History

Etymology

The noun is derived from ear + mark. The verb is derived from the noun.

Across languages

Translations

61 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bashkir: инәү (inəw) — mark made or tag attached to the ear of an animal, generally to identify or indicate something about the animal
  • Bulgarian: дамга на ухото (damga na uhoto) — mark made or tag attached to the ear of an animal, generally to identify or indicate something about the animal
  • Finnish: korvamerkki — mark made or tag attached to the ear of an animal, generally to identify or indicate something about the animal
  • Indonesian: tengas — mark made or tag attached to the ear of an animal, generally to identify or indicate something about the animal
  • Kazakh: солақ (solaq) — mark made or tag attached to the ear of an animal, generally to identify or indicate something about the animal
  • Russian: клеймо́ на ухе (klejmó na uxe) — mark made or tag attached to the ear of an animal, generally to identify or indicate something about the animal
  • Russian: тавро (tavro) — mark made or tag attached to the ear of an animal, generally to identify or indicate something about the animal
  • Turkish: kırlangıç kuyruğu — mark made or tag attached to the ear of an animal, generally to identify or indicate something about the animal
  • Welsh: clustnod — mark made or tag attached to the ear of an animal, generally to identify or indicate something about the animal
  • Finnish: merkki — any distinguishing or identifying mark or sign
  • Finnish: tunnusmerkki — any distinguishing or identifying mark or sign
  • Welsh: clustnod — any distinguishing or identifying mark or sign
  • Finnish: korvamerkki — specifically, mark of ownership
  • Welsh: clustnod — specifically, mark of ownership
  • Finnish: osoitus — act of designating certain funds to be used for a specific purpose
  • Finnish: varaus — act of designating certain funds to be used for a specific purpose
  • Welsh: clustnodiad — act of designating certain funds to be used for a specific purpose
  • Finnish: osoitus — designation by the Congress that certain federal funds be appropriated for a specific project
  • Finnish: varaus — designation by the Congress that certain federal funds be appropriated for a specific project
  • Romanian: alocare — designation by the Congress that certain federal funds be appropriated for a specific project
  • Romanian: alocație — designation by the Congress that certain federal funds be appropriated for a specific project
  • Spanish: asignación — designation by the Congress that certain federal funds be appropriated for a specific project
  • Spanish: destino — designation by the Congress that certain federal funds be appropriated for a specific project
  • Spanish: reserva — designation by the Congress that certain federal funds be appropriated for a specific project
  • Bulgarian: дамгосвам (damgosvam) — to make a mark or attach a tag to the ear of (an animal, chiefly a livestock animal), generally to identify or indicate something about the animal
  • Danish: øremærke — to make a mark or attach a tag to the ear of (an animal, chiefly a livestock animal), generally to identify or indicate something about the animal
  • Finnish: korvamerkitä — to make a mark or attach a tag to the ear of (an animal, chiefly a livestock animal), generally to identify or indicate something about the animal
  • Indonesian: menengas — to make a mark or attach a tag to the ear of (an animal, chiefly a livestock animal), generally to identify or indicate something about the animal
  • Norwegian Bokmål: øremerke — to make a mark or attach a tag to the ear of (an animal, chiefly a livestock animal), generally to identify or indicate something about the animal
  • Welsh: clustnodi — to make a mark or attach a tag to the ear of (an animal, chiefly a livestock animal), generally to identify or indicate something about the animal
  • Bulgarian: слагам настрана (slagam nastrana) — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Bulgarian: заделям (zadeljam) — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Bulgarian: заделя (zadelja) — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Danish: øremærke — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Finnish: korvamerkitä — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • French: allouer — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • French: réserver — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • German: bestimmen — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Hungarian: elkülönít — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Hungarian: előirányoz — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Hungarian: félretesz — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Hungarian: kijelöl — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Hungarian: lefoglal — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Hungarian: szán — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Māori: tāpui — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Norwegian Bokmål: øremerke — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Russian: отмеча́ть (otmečátʹ) — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Russian: выделя́ть (vydeljátʹ) — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Spanish: apartar — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Spanish: asignar — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Spanish: destinar — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Spanish: placear — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Spanish: reservar — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Swedish: öronmärka — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Welsh: clustnodi — to designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose — see also allocate
  • Finnish: osoittaa — to designate (certain funds) to be used for a specific purpose
  • Finnish: varata — to designate (certain funds) to be used for a specific purpose
  • Welsh: clustnodi — to designate (certain funds) to be used for a specific purpose
  • Finnish: osoittaa — to designate (part of a pension) to be payable to the holder’s former spouse or payment when the pension is paid
  • Finnish: osoittaa — of the US Congress: to designate that certain federal funds be appropriated for a specific project
  • Finnish: varata — of the US Congress: to designate that certain federal funds be appropriated for a specific project