earmarks
|ear-mark|
🇺🇸
/ˈɪrˌmɑrk/
🇬🇧
/ˈɪəˌmɑːk/
(earmark)
distinctive mark
Etymology
'earmark' originates from Old English, specifically the elements 'ēare' and 'mearc', where 'ēare' meant 'ear' and 'mearc' meant 'mark' or 'boundary'.
'earmark' changed from the Old English compound 'ēare-mearc' (a mark on the ear of an animal) and was used in Middle English for identifying livestock; over time it developed figurative senses and became the modern English word 'earmark' (including 'distinguishing feature' and 'funds set aside').
Initially, it meant 'a physical mark made on the ear (of livestock)'; over time it evolved into meanings such as 'a distinguishing characteristic' and (especially in US usage) 'funds designated for a specific purpose'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a distinguishing characteristic or feature; a trait that identifies or marks something.
One of the earmarks of a good leader is clear communication.
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Noun 2
(chiefly US, finance/government) Funds or resources set aside for a specific purpose.
The new bill includes earmarks for school construction, and many local projects received earmarks.
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Verb 1
to designate or set aside (money, resources, etc.) for a particular purpose.
The committee earmarks funds for cancer research every year.
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Verb 2
to mark or identify (something) with a distinctive characteristic; to single out by a feature.
These symptoms earmark the disease as a rare condition.
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Last updated: 2025/12/26 18:56