n. 1. A flat piece of metal stamped with a design or an inscription commemorating an event or a person, often given as an award. 2. A piece of metal stamped with a religious device, used as an object of veneration or commemoration. v. med·aled, med·al·ing, med·als also med·alled or med·al·ling Informal v.intr. To win a medal, as in a sports contest: "We were the first Americans to medal" (Jill Watson). v.tr. To award a medal to. [French médaille, from Old French, from Italian medaglia, coin worth half a denarius, medal, from Vulgar Latin *medālia, coins worth half a denarius, from Late Latin mediālia, little halves, from neuter pl. of mediālis, of the middle, medial; see MEDIAL.] me·dallic (mə-dălĭk) adj. |
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