earmark

English

WOTD – 16 August 2025

Etymology

The noun is derived from ear +‎ mark.[1] The verb is derived from the noun.[2]

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɪəmɑːk/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈɪ(ə)ɹˌmɑɹk/
  • Audio (General American):(file)
    (file)
  • Hyphenation: ear‧mark

Noun

earmark (plural earmarks)

  2. (chiefly agriculture) A mark made or tag attached to the ear of an animal (chiefly a livestock animal), generally to identify or indicate something about the animal, such as ownership, health or gestation status, etc.
    Synonym: (archaic or historical) lugmark
    Hyponym: ear tag
    • 1725, [Noël] Chomel, “MARKING OF SHEEP”, in R[ichard] Bradley, editor, Dictionaire Oeconomique: Or, The Family Dictionary. […], volume II (I–Z), London: […] D[aniel] Midwinter, […], →OCLC, signature Llll2, recto, column 1:
      Some mark them [sheep] vvith Raddle and make Ear-marks.
  3. (figurative)
    1. A distinguishing or identifying mark or sign; specifically (archaic), a mark of ownership.
      • 1551, Thomas More, “The Fyrste Boke of the Communycacion of Raphaell Hythlodaye Concernynge the Best State of a Commen Wealthe”, in Raphe Robynson [i.e., Ralph Robinson], transl., A Fruteful, and Pleasaunt Worke of the Best State of a Publyque Weale, and of the Newe Yle Called Utopia: […], London: […] [Steven Mierdman for] Abraham Vele, […], →OCLC, signature [D.viii.], verso:
        [H]e ſhoulde be dyſcryued by hys rounding and his eare marke: […]
      • 1672, [Andrew Marvell], The Rehearsal Transpros’d: Or, Animadversions upon a Late Book, Entituled, A Preface, Shewing what Grounds there are of Fears and Jealousies of Popery, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 151:
        Mr. Bayes, many as proper a man as your ſelf march'd up Holborn for diſtinguiſhing betvvixt the VVealth and the Fanatick: and moreover let me tell you, Fanatick Money hath no Ear-mark.
      • 1743 February 21 (date decided; Gregorian calendar), [John] Willes, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, “Jonathan Scott and Francis Richardson against Robert Surman Salem Owne and John Cruickshank, Assignees of Richard Scott a Bankrupt”, in Charles Durnford, editor, Reports of Adjudged Cases in the Court of Common Pleas during the Time Lord Chief Justice Willes Presided in that Court; […], London: […] A. Strahan, […], for J[oseph] Butterworth, […], published 1799, →OCLC, page 404:
        VVe are likevviſe all agreed that if the goods had remain in ſpecie unſold in the bankrupt's hands at the time of the bankruptcy, the plaintiffs might have recovered them in an action of trover, and that they could not be applied to pay the bankrupt's debts, […] [W]hy are goods conſidered ſtill as the ovvners? becauſe they remain in ſpecie, and ſo may be diſtinguiſhed from the reſt of the bankrupt's eſtate. But as money has no earmark, it cannot be diſtinguiſhed.
      • 1879, Anthony Trollope, “Thackeray’s Style and Manner of Work”, in John Morley, editor, Thackeray (English Men of Letters; 10), London: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC, page 201:
        I am inclined to think that his most besetting sin in style,—the little earmark by which he is most conspicuous,—is a certain affected familiarity.
      • 1959, Brunettie Burrow, Angels in White, San Antonio, Tex.: Naylor, →OCLC, page 112:
        […] I saw in my patient one of the most forbidding men I have ever met. He had all the earmarks of a criminal.
    2. (finance) An act of designating certain funds to be used for a specific purpose; specifically (US, politics), a designation by the Congress that certain federal funds be appropriated for a specific project.
      (US, politics): Hyponyms: lettermark, phonemark

Translations

See also

Verb

earmark (third-person singular simple present earmarks, present participle earmarking, simple past and past participle earmarked) (transitive)

  1. (chiefly agriculture) To make a mark or attach a tag to the ear of (an animal, chiefly a livestock animal), generally to identify or indicate something about the animal, such as ownership.
    Hyponym: ear-tag
    Coordinate terms: brand, chip
  2. (figurative)
    1. To put a distinguishing or identifying mark or sign on (something); to make (something) distinctive or identifiable.
    2. To designate or set aside (someone or something) for a particular purpose; to allocate.
      Synonyms: allot, appropriate; see also Thesaurus:set apart
    3. (finance) Chiefly followed by for: to designate (certain funds) to be used for a specific purpose.
      You can donate to the organization as a whole, or you can earmark your contribution for a particular project.
      • 2020 December 2, Christian Wolmar, “Wales Offers Us a Glimpse of an Integrated Transport Policy”, in Rail, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 56:
        A widening of the M4 had long been mooted, and the Welsh Government had even earmarked most of the required £1.6bn funding for a new 14-mile, six-lane section around Newport. Then, in the face of opposition from environmentalists, came a realisation that similar road schemes across the world tend merely to encourage greater car use and therefore soon prove ineffective in solving the original problem.
      1. (UK) To designate (part of a pension) to be payable to the holder's former spouse or payment when the pension is paid.
      2. (US, politics) Of the Congress: to designate that certain federal funds be appropriated for a specific project.
        Hyponyms: lettermark, phonemark

Derived terms

Translations

References

  1. ^ “earmark, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2023; “earmark, n.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
  2. ^ “earmark, v.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, July 2023; “earmark, v.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Further reading

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