insignia

noun

in·​sig·​nia in-ˈsig-nē-ə 

variants or less commonly insigne

in-ˈsig-(ˌ)nē 

plural insignia or insignias

1

: a badge of authority or honor

2

: a distinguishing mark or sign

Did you know?

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

Under the Hatch Act, federal personnel, including members of Congress, are prohibited from wearing partisan or political apparel such as T-shirts, buttons or other political groups’ paraphernalia while carrying out official duties or wearing official insignia. —Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Sep. 2025

In Caracas today, military police in balaclavas and without insignia regularly patrol the streets. —Andrew Raine, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025

Flags of Finnish air forces that still show the swastika symbol are seen during a parade in Jyvaskyla, Finland, in November 2024—the military branch's command dropped the insignia in 2017. —Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025

An insignia on the ring turns out to be the logo of the Four-Way Temple, a house of worship, in the nearby city of Bakersfield, California. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin insignia, plural of insigne mark, badge, from neuter of insignis marked, distinguished, from in- + signum mark — more at sign

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

insignia

noun

in·​sig·​nia in-ˈsig-nē-ə 

plural insignia or insignias

: an emblem of a special authority, office, or honor : badge