English
insignia
Insignia comes from Latin īnsīgne ‘emblem, token, symbol’, from īnsignis ‘marked, distinguished’, and ultimately from Proto-Italic *segnom ‘sign’.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*segnom‘sign’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignum‘a sign, an emblem’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnsignis‘marked, distinguished’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnsīgne‘emblem, token, symbol’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnsīgnianominative plural of īnsīgne
- Englishearliest quotation 1826insignia
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*segnom‘sign’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignum‘a sign, an emblem’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnsignis‘marked, distinguished’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnsīgne‘emblem, token, symbol’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnsīgnianominative plural of īnsīgne
- Englishearliest quotation 1826insignia
Earliest quotation: 1826, Mary Shelley, London: Henry Colburn: “The former Protector tendered him the oaths, and presented…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sek- ‘to cut’
saw, sex, risk, section, ship, sexual, segment, sack, scarlet, sawyer, insect, designation, sax, het, sickle, dissect, shingle, scythe, sich, seg, sedge, desiccation, brassica, desiccant, assignation, 48 more
through Proto-Italic *segnom ‘sign’
design, signal, significance, resign, sealing, assign, signify, signet, consign, signification, 14 more
through Latin signum ‘a sign, an emblem’
significant, sign, seal, sigil, sain, 13 more
through Latin īnsīgne ‘emblem, token, symbol’
Today it means
noun A patch or other object that indicates a person's official or military rank, or membership in a group or organization.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *segnom / insignia