Dictionary

emblematic en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• ĕmb-lə-mă-tĭk
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˌɛmbləˈmatɪk/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From French emblématique. See emblem.

Meanings

1. Serving as, or relating to a symbol, emblem or illustration of a type.
   • Emblematic of the many sound collisions in Ukrainian is the magnificent single letter Щ, expressed in English as “shch” – as in “fresh cheese” , as one of my grammar books puts it. 2026 August 4, Charlotte Higgins, “‘The war leaked into every lesson’: learning Ukrainian in a country under siege”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC:
   • All was dreary—all was emblematic of that change and barrenness which passes away from nature, but never from the heart;... 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 149:
2. (figuratively) Very typical.
   • The result of yesterday’s meaningful vote in the House of Commons, much like the first in January, was emblematic of a very striking Brexit reality: that the principle barrier to leaving the EU comes from the very people most desperate to see it happen. 2019 March 13, Oliver Norgrove, “Hypnotised by cake and unicorns, the Brexit perfectionists have blown it”, in The Guardian:
   • With Le Sommer withdrawn, France – now with five in midfield – seemed content to hold on for a deceptively narrow win. Such containment tactics can prove high risk but the only threat England could muster was a shot from Aluko which flew high and wide. It seemed entirely emblematic of their afternoon. 2015 June 9, “Women’s World Cup 2015: England beaten by France in Group F opener”, in The Guardian (London):

Forms

Deriveds

emblematicize · emblematical · symblematic · unemblematic · emblematically

Synonyms

illustrative · symbolic · representative · characteristic · iconic · archetypical · exemplary

Translations (18)

es emblemático (serving as a symbol) · fr emblématique (serving as a symbol) · pl emblematyczny (serving as a symbol) · fi tunnusomainen (serving as a symbol) · ca emblemàtic (serving as a symbol) · bg символичен (serving as a symbol) · pt emblemático (serving as a symbol) · ast emblemáticu (serving as a symbol) · sh amblematičan (serving as a symbol) · uk емблемати́чний (serving as a symbol) · ml പ്രതീകാത്മക (serving as a symbol) · gl emblemático (serving as a symbol) · de emblematisch (serving as a symbol) · fi symbolinen (serving as a symbol) · ru эмблемати́чный (serving as a symbol) · it emblematico (serving as a symbol) · ru эмблемати́ческий (serving as a symbol) · fi tunnusmerkillinen (serving as a symbol)