status symbol
/ˈsteɪtəs ˈsɪmbəl/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.20 in modern English
19
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
3
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A visible possession that is a sign of one's personal wealth or social status.
Example Sentences
- "There are power mowers, which industry and technology are efficiently building noisier and noisier and bigger and bigger. And it seems that the power mower is something that is a status symbol now, and the rate of status depends on the amount of noise that you are able to put out."
- "In addition to facilitating identification, status symbols have two other functions. First, they act to dignify relationships, to bring a sense of formality or respectability to the situation. [...] Second, status symbols are often important in motivation. One has to be amazed at the time and effort that a high school athlete will invest to earn the right to wear a letter jacket—which his parents will have to purchase in many school districts!"
- "It can be a good thing for biodiversity to have a turkey or tomato become a status symbol. [...] [T]he heirloom tomato does not decrease in availability when it becomes a symbol of elite status and good taste."
- "Her [Kate Spade's] name became a shorthand for the cute, clever bags that were an instant hit with cosmopolitan women in the early stages of their careers and, later, young girls – status symbols of a more attainable, all-American sort than a Fendi clutch or Chanel bag."
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈsteɪtəs ˈsɪmbəl/
- British English: /ˈsteɪtəs ˈsɪmbəl/