Meaning & use
hallmarked
Last updated
“hallmarked” is a form of “hallmark”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivecomparableBritish
Stamped with an official mark showing that a gold, silver or platinum item has been tested and is of a guaranteed purity.
Grammar: Usually used before a noun or after be: hallmarked silver, the ring is hallmarked.
Patterns
- hallmarked silver
- be hallmarked in London
She bought a hallmarked silver spoon at the antiques fair.
Every hallmarked ring carries a tiny stamp showing the metal and the testing office.
The bracelet is hallmarked, so you can trust that it is real gold.
verbtransitive
Past tense and past participle of hallmark: to stamp a precious metal item with an official mark of quality, or to mark something as typical of someone's style.
Grammar: Takes an object: the office hallmarked the cups. The figurative use is usually passive: a performance hallmarked by energy.
Patterns
- hallmark something
- be hallmarked by something
The assay office hallmarked the silver teapots last week.
His career was hallmarked by steady, careful work.
The jeweler had hallmarked each piece before the sale.
Common combinations
- hallmarked silver
- Hallmarked silver is easy to recognize by its tiny stamps.
- hallmarked gold
- They sell only hallmarked gold in that shop.
- be hallmarked in London
- The cup was hallmarked in London in 1890.
- fully hallmarked
- The dealer promised that the set was fully hallmarked.
- hallmarked by
- The era was hallmarked by rapid change.
Synonyms and how they differ
- stamped
- Stamped is broader and can describe any marking, while hallmarked specifically means officially certified as precious metal.
- certified
- Certified refers to any official approval, whereas hallmarked means a physical stamp on metal.
- assayed
- Assayed refers to the testing of the metal itself, while hallmarked refers to the mark applied after testing.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: hallmarked or trademarked?
hallmarked vs trademarked
Trademarked means a brand name or logo is legally protected, while hallmarked refers to a purity stamp on precious metal.
Practice
The jeweler showed us the tiny stamp proving that the silver ring was ____.
Choose one answer.
A hallmark is an official stamp certifying the purity of precious metal. Trademarked protects a brand name, so it does not describe a purity stamp.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hallmarked”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.