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medal

Pronunciation: /ˈmɛd(ə)l/

Translate medal | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of medal

noun

  • a metal disc typically of the size of a large coin and bearing an inscription or design, made to commemorate an event or awarded as a distinction to someone such as a soldier or athlete.

verb (medals, medalling, medalled; US medals, medaling, medaled)

  • [no object] win a medal in a sporting event:Larsen medaled in 4th place in the 3,200 meter run
  • [with object] (often as adjective medalled) decorate or honour with a medal:the most medalled athlete in Britain

Derivatives

medallic

adjective

Origin:

late 16th century: from French médaille, from Italian medaglia, from medieval Latin medalia 'half a denarius', from Latin medialis 'medial'

Do not confuse medal with meddle. Medal means 'a metal disc given as an award' (a gold medal), whereas meddle means 'interfere' (don’t meddle in people’s lives).

medal in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of medal in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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