noun · 6 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.
UK, US:/ɪnˈsɪɡ.ni.ə/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:IH2 N S IH1 G N IY2 AH0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A patch or other object that indicates a person's official or military rank, or membership in a group or organization.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: emblem, keycard or ID card or access card, pin
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A symbol or token of personal power, status, or office, or of an official body of government or jurisdiction.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A mark or token by which anything is known.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
plural of insignium
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, plural
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
plural of insigne
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, plural
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
a badge worn to show official position
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: badge
Narrower terms: caduceus, insignia of rank, shoulder flash, service stripe, hashmark, hash mark, cordon, wings
History
Etymology
From Latin īnsīgnia, nominative plural of īnsīgne (“emblem, token, symbol”). Doublet of ensign.
Across languages
Translations
49 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
տարբերանշան
(tarberanšan)
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Bulgarian:
отличителен знак
(otličitelen znak)
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Catalan:
insígnia
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Chinese Mandarin:
徽章
(huīzhāng)
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Chinese Mandarin:
識別標誌 /识别标志
(shìbié biāozhì)
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Esperanto:
insigno
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Esperanto:
atributo
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Finnish:
arvomerkki
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
French:
insigne
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
German:
Rangabzeichen
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
German:
Abzeichen
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Hebrew:
סמל זיהוי
(sémel zihúy)
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Japanese:
徽章
(kishō)
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Japanese:
階級章
(kaikyūshō)
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Occitan:
insígnia
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Portuguese:
insígnia
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Portuguese:
distintivo
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Russian:
знак отли́чия
(znak otlíčija)
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Russian:
знак разли́чия
(znak razlíčija)
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Spanish:
insignia
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Swedish:
insignier
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Swedish:
emblem
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Swedish:
gradbeteckning
— a patch or other object that indicates rank or membership
Armenian:
շքանշան
(škʻanšan)
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Chinese Mandarin:
勛章 /勋章
(xūnzhāng)
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Chinese Mandarin:
符號 /符号
(fúhào)
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Dutch:
insigne
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Esperanto:
insigno
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Finnish:
tunnus
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
French:
insigne
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
German:
Amtsabzeichen
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
German:
Amtsinsigne
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
German:
Insigne
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
German:
Signum
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
German:
Abzeichen
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Hebrew:
סמל
(sémel)
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Hungarian:
jelvény
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Hungarian:
rangjelzés
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Japanese:
しるし
(shirushi)
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Japanese:
記章
(kishō)
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Polish:
insygnium
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Portuguese:
insígnia
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Portuguese:
distintivo
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Russian:
эмбле́ма
(embléma)
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Russian:
значо́к
(značók)
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Russian:
о́рден
(órden)
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Russian:
меда́ль
(medálʹ)
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Serbo-Croatian:
insignija
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
Spanish:
distintivo
— symbol or token of power, status, or office
