Noun

medal (plural medals)

1. A stamped metal disc used as a personal ornament, a charm, or a religious object.
   • 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, II.i.3:

     Whether their images, shrines, relics, consecrated things, holy water, medals, benedictions, those divine amulets, holy exorcisms, and the sign of the cross, be available in this disease?

2. A stamped or cast metal disc, particularly one awarded as a prize or reward.

Derived terms

• gold medal — a medal designed for first-place winners
• silver medal — a medal designed for second-place winners
• bronze medal — a medal designed for third-place winners

Related terms

• medallic
• medallion
• medallist
• medallurgy
• medalet

A medal, or medallion, is generally a circular object that has been sculpted, molded, cast, struck, stamped or some way rendered with an insignia, portrait or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific, academic or various other achievements. Medals may also be created to commemorate particular individuals or events, or even as works of artistic expression in their own right; artists who focus their talents on the creation of medals or medallions are termed a medalist. There are also devotional medals which may be worn as a matter of religious faith. Medals are popular collectible items either as a form of exonumia or of militaria phaleristics.

The word 'medal' is derived from the Latin medalia, which was a copper coin. 'Medallion' comes from the French word médaillon, a term applied to round food rationings because of their similar shape to a médaille, and has come to be applied to particularly large medals. Medallions are occasionally referred to as "table medals" because they are too large to be worn and can only be displayed on a table top, desk or cabinet. Medals may also be produced in a rectangular shape, though these would more correctly be described as a plaque, and a smaller version as a plaquette. In colloquial use, a medallion is sometimes improperly used to refer to a pendant of a necklace.