emblem

Where does the word "emblem" come from? It comes from Greek emblēma, passing through Latin before entering English (1580s).

Emblem’s story begins in Greek: emblēma meant “inlay.” From 'emballein', to throw in: an inlaid ornament. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Latin as emblema. A mosaic inlay; Roman villas often had an emblema at the centre of the floor. It reached English by 1580s as emblem. Renaissance 'emblem books' paired images with moral verses. Today, emblem means a design or symbol representing a group or idea.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient emblēma "inlay", from 'emballein', to throw in: an inlaid ornament.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient emblema "mosaic inlay", a mosaic inlay; Roman villas often had an emblema at the centre of the floor.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1580s emblem "a symbolic image", Renaissance 'emblem books' paired images with moral verses.