Etymology From Old French embleme, from Latin emblēma (“raised ornaments on vessels, tessellated work, mosaic”), from Ancient Greek ἔμβλημα (émblēma, “an insertion”), from ἐμβάλλειν (embállein, “to put in, to lay on”). Doublet of emblema.
1
A representative symbol, such as a trademark, a badge or logo.
The medical trucks were emblazoned with the emblem of the Red Cross.
His ſicatrice, with an Embleme of warre, heere on his ſiniſter cheeke;c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 235:
2
Something that represents a larger whole.
The rampant poverty in the ethnic slums was just an emblem of the group's disenfranchisement by the society as a whole.
Yes, there were instances of grandstanding and obsessive behaviour, but many were concealed at the time to help protect an aggressively peddled narrative of Pistorius the paragon, the emblem, the trailblazer.2014 October 21, Oliver Brown, “Oscar Pistorius jailed for five years – sport afforded no protection against his tragic fallibilities […] ”, in The Daily Telegraph (Sport):
3
Inlay; inlaid or mosaic work; something ornamental inserted in a surface.
Broider'd the ground, more color'd than with stone Of costliest emblem1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
4
A picture accompanied with a motto, a set of verses, etc. intended as a moral lesson or meditation.
An Emblem is but a ſilent Parable:1718, Francis Quarles, Emblems, divine and moral ; together with Hieroglyphicks of the life of man:
Etymology From Old French embleme, from Latin emblēma (“raised ornaments on vessels, tessellated work, mosaic”), from Ancient Greek ἔμβλημα (émblēma, “an insertion”), from ἐμβάλλειν (embállein, “to put in, to lay on”). Doublet of emblema.