medal

noun

1. A stamped metal disc used as a personal ornament, a charm, or a religious object.

   “Whether their images, shrines, relics, consecrated things, holy water, medals, benedictions, those divine amulets, holy exorcisms, and the sign of the cross, be available in this disease?”

2. A stamped or cast metal object (usually a disc), particularly one awarded as a prize or reward.

verb

1. (colloquial, intransitive)To win a medal.

   “He medalled twice at the Olympics.”

   “I dashed into the mall; bought a gift; raced to the card store, snapped up a two-fer gift-bag special and was back in my car in 26 minutes. I could medal in power shopping.”

   “Vocab-wise, medalling and PB-ing are now totally part-and-parcelled, and most experts in South Korea believe podiumed, finalled and all-comered are not far off lexiconing.”

   “I wanted to medal. I was pregnant and I wanted to medal.”

   “In 2008, after being passed over yet again for USA Basketball’s Beijing Olympics team, San Antonio Stars all-star Becky Hammon signed a four-year, $2m contract with CSKA Moscow that included a six-figure bonus for becoming a naturalised citizen and medaling at the Games.”

2. (transitive)To award a medal to.

name

1. A surname from Spanish [in turn from Galician].