Wordwyrt

ensign

/ˈensən/EN-suhn
/ˈɛnsən/EN-suhn

Meaningdistinguishing marks

Common meaning: flag, especially one identifying a ship

Journey through time

  1. Latininsignia‘distinguishing marks’source
  2. Frenchenseignesource
  3. Englishmeaning shiftsdistinguishing marks → flag, especially one identifying a shipensign‘flag, especially one identifying a ship’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin insignia ‘distinguishing marks’.

Roots

  • insignia Latin “distinguishing marks”

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