medal

1 of 2

noun

med·​al ˈme-dᵊl How to pronounce medal (audio)
Synonyms of medalnext
1
: a small usually metal object bearing a religious emblem or picture
2
: a piece of metal often resembling a coin and having a stamped design that is issued to commemorate a person or event or awarded for excellence or achievement

medal

2 of 2

verb

medaled also medalled; medaling also medalling
ˈmed-liŋ,
ˈme-dᵊl-iŋ How to pronounce medal (audio)

intransitive verb

: to win a medal
medaled in figure skating

Synonyms

Noun

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Examples of medal in a Sentence

Noun He was awarded a medal for his heroism. the display case held an impressive array of military medals from World War II Verb She medaled in figure skating in the Olympics.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Presented by Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) in the film’s iconic finale, this medal appears in one of cinema’s most memorable moments, set to John Williams' 'The Throne Room' march. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 16 Mar. 2025 Belarusian competitors excel in biathlon and aerial skiing, and the two sports account for every medal but one that the nation has won at the Winter Games. — Blythe Lawrence, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Verb
Allman, a former Stanford star who was a six-time All-American there plus a two-time Pac-12 discus champion, is also the only American woman to medal at multiple World Athletics Championships. — Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 9 Mar. 2025 With their vaulting performances, Sullivan and Phillip became just the second pair of Oswego gymnasts to medal on the same event in the same year. — Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for medal

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French medaille, from Old Italian medaglia coin worth half a denarius, medal, from Vulgar Latin *medalis half, alteration of Late Latin medialis middle, from Latin medius — more at mid

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1979, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of medal was circa 1578

Phrases Containing medal

Rhymes for medal

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Browse Nearby Words

medal
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Cite this Entry

“Medal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medal. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

medal

noun
med·​al
ˈmed-ᵊl
: a piece of metal often in the form of a coin with design and words in honor of a special event, a person, or an achievement

More from Merriam-Webster on medal

Nglish: Translation of medal for Spanish Speakers

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