brand

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a charred piece of wood
c
: something (such as lightning) that resembles a firebrand
2
: sword
3
a(1)
: a mark made by burning with a hot iron to attest manufacture or quality or to designate ownership
(2)
: a printed mark made for similar purposes : trademark
b(1)
: a mark put on criminals with a hot iron
(2)
: a mark of disgrace : stigma
the brand of poverty
4
a
: a class of goods identified by name as the product of a single firm or manufacturer : make
b
: a characteristic or distinctive kind
a lively brand of theater
d
: a public image, reputation, or identity conceived of as something to be marketed or promoted
Future political offices or appointments appear out of the question now, so he is focusing on rebuilding his brand in Hollywood …Elizabeth McNeil et al.
The comedian Dane Cook apparently believes he is building his brand by pumping out a steady stream of comments on Twitter …Daniel Lyons
5
: a tool used to produce a brand

brand

2 of 2

verb

branded; branding; brands

transitive verb

1
: to mark with a brand
2
: to mark with disapproval : stigmatize
he was branded a coward
3
: to impress indelibly
brand the lesson on his mind
brander noun

Examples of brand in a Sentence

Noun What brand are those jeans you are wearing? The store sells a variety of shoe brands. I don't like his brand of humor. a lively brand of theater Verb They no longer brand their cattle. The exact words my father spoke on my graduation day are branded in my memory.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Organic whole carrot brands include products sold at Trader Joe's and Target: 365: 1, 2 and 3 lb. bags Bunny Luv: 1, 2, 5, 10 and 25 lbs. Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 22 Nov. 2024 With comprehensive texts detailing the history of the brand, starting with the founder’s initial philosophy of using a team of creative stylists (of whom Karl Lagerfeld was the most famous) to bring her vision to life, this beautiful book charts seven decades of Chloe. Emma Baxter-Wright, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
In some ways, the ubiquity of the archive sale – sometimes branded as a sample sale – is a reflection of the challenging retail landscape right now, particularly for young designers (many of whom were left in debt following the shuttering of Matches earlier this year). Emily Chan, Vogue, 23 Nov. 2024 Many of the bonbons are intricately emblazoned with Vuitton’s signatures—the four-pointed star, four-petal flower, diamond flower, and LV initials—while chocolate bars are branded with the Damier Ebène checkerboard print. Vivian Song, Robb Report, 23 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for brand 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, torch, sword, from Old English; akin to Old English bærnan to burn

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brand was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near brand

Cite this Entry

“Brand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brand. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

brand

1 of 2 noun
1
: a burnt or burning piece of wood
2
a
: a mark made by burning (as on cattle) to show ownership, maker, or quality
b
: a printed mark made for similar purposes : trademark
3
a
: a mark once put on criminals with a hot iron
b
: a mark of disgrace : stigma
4
a
: a class of goods identified as the product of a single maker
b
: a particular kind : variety

brand

2 of 2 verb
1
: to mark with or as if with a brand
2
: to describe or identify with a word that expresses disapproval
was branded a coward

More from Merriam-Webster on brand

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