blue ribbon
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.79 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The emblem of the Order of the Garter.
Example Sentences
- "Mom's strawberry jam won the blue ribbon at the Holland County Fair three years running."
- "These [scholarships] were the blue ribbon of the [college]."
- "Mr. Allen’s work, “Théâtre D’opéra Spatial,” took home the blue ribbon in the fair’s contest for emerging digital artists — making it one of the first A.I.-generated pieces to win such a prize, and setting off a fierce backlash from artists who accused him of, essentially, cheating."
- "The governor selected a cadre of blue ribbon social scientists to serve on her poverty task force."
- "A blue ribbon jury of accomplished artists will choose the best three entries."
Etymology
Perhaps a calque of Middle French cordon bleu (“blue ribbon”), worn by knights of the Order of the Holy Spirit, or after Blue Riband, a sailing award.