label

label — noun

IPA/ˈleɪbl/
KK[lˈebəl]IPA/ˈleɪbl/
  • labelsingular
  • labelsplural

1. A small piece of paper, cloth, or plastic that is fixed to an object and shows i

1.nounB1
Definition

A small piece of paper, cloth, or plastic that is fixed to an object and shows information about it, such as its price, what it contains, or how to take care of it.

Example

Linh checked the label on the shirt to find the washing instructions.

collocation: label on [clothing]

The wooden crate had a red label that read 'This Side Up' on both ends.

Common collocations
  • read a label
  • check a label
  • label on something
  • peel off a label
  • price label
Synonyms
  • tag

    often refers to a larger or more durable label, like a luggage tag or price tag

  • sticker

    implies a sticky back; more informal and less likely for professional product information

  • ticket

    specifically for price or admission; less common for product details or instructions

2. A word or short phrase used to describe a person or group, especially when the d

2.nounC2
Definition

A word or short phrase used to describe a person or group, especially when the description is too simple or unfair and does not show the whole truth about them.

Example

The label 'troublemaker' followed Ignacio throughout his school years, even after he changed.

Selim found it hard to shake the label of being lazy, even though he worked longer hours than anyone else.

collocation: to shake / shed a label

Common collocations
  • shake a label
  • reject a label
  • the label of [something]
  • apply a label to someone
  • stick someone with a label
Synonyms
  • stereotype

    broader term for a fixed general idea about a group; a label is the specific word used within a stereotype

  • category

    more neutral; does not carry the implication of unfairness or oversimplification

  • epithet

    formal term; often implies a negative or insulting description

Usage Note

Often appears with negative descriptive words such as 'unfair,' 'wrong,' or 'simplistic.' The passive construction 'be labeled + noun' is very common: 'He was labeled a troublemaker.'

Common Mistakes

She put the lazy label on him.
She labeled him as lazy.
The figurative sense of 'label' is typically used as a verb or with 'the label of,' not as a standalone noun phrase with 'put.'

3. A company that makes and sells products, especially clothing or music recordings

3.nounB1
Definition

A company that makes and sells products, especially clothing or music recordings, under a particular name or symbol that people recognize.

Example

Jisoo only buys clothes from labels that use environmentally friendly materials.

collocation: clothes / fashion label

The fashion label opened its first store in Taipei last spring and sold out within a week.

Common collocations
  • fashion label
  • clothing label
  • record label
  • music label
  • start a label
  • own a label
Synonyms
  • brand

    more general; refers to the name and identity rather than the company itself

  • maker

    informal; focuses on the manufacturer rather than the brand identity

Usage Note

When used for fashion, 'label' can refer to either the company itself or the brand name. In music, 'record label' or simply 'label' refers to the company that produces and distributes recordings.

Common Mistakes

She bought a label of jeans.
She bought jeans from a famous label.
'label' refers to the company or brand, not to an individual product item.

label — verb

IPA/ˈleɪ.bəl/
KK[lˈebəl]IPA/ˈleɪ.bəl/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to something that carries information on an object, but they differ in form and use. A 'tag' is usually a larger piece of card or plastic attached by string or a loop — think of a luggage tag hanging from a suitcase handle. A 'sticker' has a sticky back and is pressed onto surfaces; it is more informal and often used for decoration rather than official product details. A 'ticket' is typically a slip of paper that shows a price or gives admission to an event, and it is not usually left attached to a product permanently. 'Marker' is the broadest term and can include any visible sign or label, from a chalk mark on a crate to a digital icon in software. For everyday product information — washing instructions, ingredients, price — 'label' is by far the most common word. Example: 'The label on the mattress said Do Not Remove.' 'Tag' would also work here, but 'sticker' would sound too casual for a mattress tag.

tag ↗sticker ↗ticket ↗marker ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • label on
  • label with
  • label as

Prepositions

Etymology

GermanicFrenchEnglish

The word 'label' entered English from Old French 'label' meaning a ribbon or strip of cloth. The French term likely came from a Germanic source related to 'lap' (a loose piece of fabric). Originally it referred to a narrow strip of cloth used as a decorative or identifying mark on a garment. By the 17th century, it had come to mean any small slip of paper attached to an object to identify or describe it. The figurative sense — using a word as a descriptive tag for a person or group — developed in the 19th century.