Meaning & use
hallmark
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Meanings
nouncountable
A feature or quality that clearly marks something as typical of a person, group or thing.
Grammar: Usually followed by of: the hallmark of good writing.
Patterns
- the hallmark of something
- a hallmark of someone
Clear, simple language is the hallmark of her writing.
Patience is a hallmark of a good teacher.
Fresh local ingredients are the hallmark of the restaurant.
nouncountablespecialist
An official stamp on gold, silver or platinum objects showing their metal quality and where they were checked.
Grammar: Used in jewelry and trade; often seen on small marks on rings and cutlery.
Patterns
- a hallmark on something
The ring bears a hallmark that proves it is solid gold.
A tiny hallmark on the spoon showed it was real silver.
Jewelers check the hallmark before buying old pieces.
verbtransitivespecialist
To stamp an item of precious metal with an official quality mark.
Grammar: Often passive: the bracelet was hallmarked in London.
Patterns
- hallmark something
Every silver item must be hallmarked before it is sold.
The workshop hallmarked the new batch of rings.
The antique teapot was hallmarked in the eighteenth century.
Word forms
| plural | hallmarks |
|---|---|
| third person singular | hallmarks |
| past tense | hallmarked |
| -ing form | hallmarking |
Common combinations
- the hallmark of
- Honesty is the hallmark of a good leader.
- bear the hallmark
- The report bears the hallmark of careful research.
- distinctive hallmark
- A distinctive hallmark of his style is dry humor.
- become a hallmark
- Fast delivery became the hallmark of the firm.
- gold hallmark
- Look for the gold hallmark on the inside of the band.
Synonyms and how they differ
- trademark
- A trademark is a legally protected sign of a business, while a hallmark is a quality or trait that is typical of someone.
- signature
- Signature suggests a very personal, recognizable style, while hallmark points to a typical quality of a thing or group.
- characteristic
- A characteristic is any typical feature, and a hallmark is a stronger, more telling one.
- stamp
- Stamp can mean a mark of quality too, but it is wider and lacks the formal sense of a hallmark.
Opposites
Word family
- hallmarked adjective
- stamped with an official quality mark
- hallmarking noun
- the process of stamping metal items
Commonly confused: hallmark or trademark?
hallmark vs trademark
A trademark is a name or sign used by a company, while a hallmark is a typical quality or an official metal stamp.
Practice
Careful attention to detail is the ___ of a skilled craftsman.
Choose one answer.
Hallmark means the typical, defining quality. 'Benchmark' is a standard for comparison, 'landmark' is a notable place, and 'earmark' means to set money aside.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hallmark”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.