medal

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈmed.əl/^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Middle French médaille, from Italian medaglia (“medal”).^[2][3][4] The origin of the Italian word is disputed.^[2] Barnhart, Klein and Watkins take medaglia to have meant first a coin worth half a denarius, from Vulgar Latin *medālia, from mediālia (“little halves”), the neuter plural of mediālis (“of the middle”);^[2][3][5][6] the OED and Hoad derive it instead from Vulgar Latin *metallea “metal (coin)”, from Latin metallum “metal”.^[2][4] Barnhart argues that the sense “coin” and the Latin forms favour the first explanation.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

A metal disc with a figure or inscription, used as a charm or trinket: before 1586, in Sidney's writings.^[3][7]

Semantic evolution

A piece of metal struck to commemorate a person or event is from 1611 in the OED, the 1610s in Etymonline.^[7][2] There was little difference in appearance between a coin and a medal.^[6] A medal given as a reward for merit is from 1751.^[7] The verb, to decorate with a medal, is from 1822 in the OED and 1857 in Etymonline,^[7][2] and to win a medal in sport from 1967.^[2] Medallion, at first a large medal, is from the mid-17th century.^[6]

Timeline

• before 1586 – a charm or trinket.^[3]
• 1611 – a commemorative medal.^[7]
• 1751 – a reward for merit.^[7]
• 1822 – the verb, to decorate.^[7]
• 1967 – to win a medal.^[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A flat piece of metal with a design or words on it, given as an award or to remember an event or person.
2. A similar piece of metal with a religious image.

Verb

1. (sport, informal) To win a medal.
2. To honour with a medal.

Word family

• medallic
• medalist
• bronze medal
• gold medal
• silver medal
• medal play

Related words

• medalet
• medallion
• medallist
• medial
• metal

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
4. ^ a b Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
7. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press