Dictionary

poster child en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From the usage of appealing young people and children in charitable advertisements.

Meanings

1. (Canada, US, idiomatic) One who is a prototypical or quintessential example of something.
   • A visit to Adventure Island–an after-school program developed by Robert Slavin and Nancy Madden, professors at Johns Hospkins University and creators of Success for All, a comprehensive school reform program practiced in hundreds of schools across the country–could be the poster child for what some might call the academic approach. 2008, Susan B. Neuman, “Changing the Odds though After-School Programs”, in Changing the Odds for Children at Risk: Seven Essential Principles of Educations Programs that Break the Cycle of Poverty, ABC-CLIO, →ISBN, page 169:
   • In the United States, thawing temperatures make Alaskan mountains the poster child of emerging landslide threats, says Higman. 2026 February 27, Paul Salopek, “Hazard Cascade”, in National Geographic:
   • I think he smile could have opened the door by itself. It seemed to have a life of it’s^([sic]) own with snow-white teeth below sparkling blue eyes. Its owner could be the poster child for the expression “grinning from ear to ear.” 2005, Susan Cunningham, “Poster Child”, in Unwrapping the Sandwich Generation. Life Vignettes about Seniors & Their Adult Boomer Children, Morgan James Publishing, →ISBN, page 175:
   • But it isn’t difficult to see why Lawrence, who has since become the poster child for healthy body image, elicits such strong reactions — particularly in GIF form, where differences between the original and Photoshopped images are clear. 2013 December 16, Caitlin Dewey, “Two-year-old Photoshopped Jennifer Lawrence magazine cover draws criticism”, in The Washington Post:
   • “He’s not exactly a poster child for the average well-adjusted American kid. He’s only been in-country for a few days.” 2006, Ted Dekker, Bill Bright, Blessed Child, Thomas Nelson, →ISBN, page 77:
   • He's a poster child for militant vegetarianism.

Forms

Coordinates

pin-up

Hypernyms

exemplar

Hyponyms

poster boy · poster girl

Translations (7)

pl reprezentantka (prototypical example) · ja 看板娘 (prototypical example) · fr figure emblématique (prototypical example) · ru фигура для подражания (prototypical example) · pl reprezentant (prototypical example) · de Paradebeispiel (prototypical example) · sv praktexempel (prototypical example)

wikipedia: Mental Floss