Phrase guide

poster child

noun · 2 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

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1

noun

Meaning 1

One who is a prototypical or quintessential example of something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Canada, US, idiomatic

Examples

  • He's a poster child for militant vegetarianism.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a child afflicted by some disease or deformity whose picture is used on posters to raise money for charitable purposes

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she was the poster child for muscular dystrophy

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: child, kid, youngster, minor, shaver, nipper, small fry, tiddler, tike, tyke, fry, nestling

Narrower terms: poster boy, poster girl

History

Etymology

From the usage of appealing young people and children in charitable advertisements.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: figure emblématique — prototypical example
  • German: Paradebeispiel — prototypical example
  • Japanese: 看板娘 (kanbanmusume) — prototypical example
  • Polish: reprezentant — prototypical example
  • Polish: reprezentantka — prototypical example
  • Swedish: praktexempel — prototypical example