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trademark

trademark

49 4.3
A special feature people notice about someone or something
  • noun
  • /ˈtreɪdˌmɑrk/
translation icon : seña de identidad
  • Nowadays, it's such a well-known political trademark that most people don't have much awareness.
  • become a trademark
  • a trademark leather jacket

And that's what he values, which is the trademark of a beta male.

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Examples

  • Egregious enthusiasm is Danny's trademark -- he can transmit his buzz and momentum to anyone at will.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Soon, Jimmy was sweeping the gold while his trademark Jimmy curl was sweeping the nation, with kids of all ages fashion drafting right behind their idol.

  • Everyone knows that that title has become my trademark.

  • In Summer Stock, Judy was seen for the first time... ...wearing what was to become her trademark for years to come.

  • Wearing the same trademark leather jacket, he was prompted this time to exchange a few words.

    Academic text (2010)
  • These caterpillars are kind of my trademark.

  • What stands out as Al-Bayati's trademark is his character's determination to overcome its condition.

    Academic text (2018)
  • "Well, it was another great bout," Gary Greenberg said with his trademark enthusiasm.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Norman James is the most exclusive gentlemen's tailor in New York, and this jazzy lapel and these crazy pockets are his trademark.

  • Judy's unique fashion choices became her trademark style, instantly recognizable to her fans.

Synonyms

feature
vstrademark
566 2.5

A part of something that helps you notice or describe it

is specifically the identifying characteristic rather than any mere attribute
signature
vstrademark
196 3.7

A special style that makes a person or thing easy to recognize

is about any identifying characteristic, not only style or tone
attribute
vstrademark
127 3.8

A quality that a person or thing has

is the feature that identifies, not just any belonging quality
marker
vstrademark
71 2.0

A sign or symbol that shows who something belongs to

is a characteristic used for identification rather than a physical sign
hallmark
vstrademark
45 3.6

A typical feature that shows what a person, place, or thing is like

is the broader identifying feature rather than a usual pattern
identifier
vstrademark
  • Specialized
22 4.9

A word, number and symbol that shows a person or thing

is a natural identifying characteristic rather than a technical unique code
calling card
vstrademark
14 4.1

A typical action or sign that helps people notice who someone is

is a neutral identifying characteristic rather than a social or behavioural tag
earmark
vstrademark
4 5.6

A clear feature that helps you recognize someone or something

is a general identifying quality rather than a single visible mark
distinctiveness
vstrademark
4 6.0

A quality that makes someone or something stand out from others

focuses on a concrete identifying feature rather than the general quality of difference
distinctive feature
vstrademark
2 4.1

A clear quality that makes a person or thing different

is the general identifying notion rather than only a separating trait
unique flair
vstrademark
1 3.9

A special style that makes someone or something stand out

is a neutral identifying characteristic rather than a personally stylish quality

How Distinctive

signature
196 3.7
trademark
49 4.3
hallmark
45 3.6
feature
566 2.5
trait
226 3.5

Surface Forms

trademark singular
trademarks plural

Morphology

trademark = trade + mark (semi-transparent) = trade + mark

Formed from 'trade' + 'mark' but used metaphorically to mean a distinctive characteristic of a person or thing, so the figurative extension makes it less directly predictable.

Etymology

Trademark comes from trade ('buying and selling') and mark ('sign'), so it first meant a sign on goods. By extension it now means any distinctive sign or feature that shows who or what something is, so a person's 'trademark' laugh is a sound that identifies them.