French word

insigne

Pronunciation

IPA/ɛ̃siɲ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounbadge

Example

Le policier porte un insigne sur sa poitrine.

The police officer wears a badge on his chest.

Illustration for insigne (badge)

More examples

Elle a perdu son insigne hier soir.

She lost her badge last night.

Core concept

An official mark attached to clothing that makes membership, function, or status recognizable.

Common phrases

  • porter un insigne

    wear a badge

  • un insigne de police

    a police badge

Similar words

badge: A small badge or tag worn at an event or workplace to show identity or participation.
pin's: A small pin-shaped ornament fastened to fabric or clothing.

Definition in French

Symbole porté sur un uniforme ou un vêtement pour marquer une distinction, une fonction ou l'appartenance à un groupe.

Word origin

The French noun insigne developed from Latin insignia, a substantive form of insignis meaning distinctive, and kept the sense of a mark that identifies distinction or affiliation.

Usage tips

  • In insigne, the final e is silent and gn represents the French /ɲ/ sound, giving the ending heard in montagne.

Other meanings

  • insignianoun

Word lists with this word