English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
noun Uncommon

chevron

SHEHV-ruhn

Chevron (noun) means a V-shaped stripe or pattern, often used as a badge of military or police rank. Example: “The sergeant's uniform had three chevrons on the sleeve.”

noun
1
A V-shaped stripe or pattern, often used as a badge of military or police rank.
"The sergeant's uniform had three chevrons on the sleeve."
2
A V-shaped road marking used to show a safe following distance between vehicles.
"The motorway had chevrons painted on the tarmac to space cars out."

How to use chevron

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA V-shaped stripe or mark, seen on uniforms, road signs, and in patterned fabric or architecture.

Common pairings
chevron pattern chevron stripes sergeant's chevrons

Word forms

chevroned past tense, chevrons plural, chevrons singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “chevron” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The sergeant's uniform had three _____ on the sleeve.

Etymology

From Old French chevron, meaning "rafter" — the V-shape was thought to resemble the sloped timbers of a roof, ultimately from Latin caper, "goat," likely because of the animal's angled horns.

Origin: Latin

Related words

Frequently asked questions

What does “chevron” mean?

The word “chevron” means a V-shaped stripe or pattern, often used as a badge of military or police rank. In plain terms, a V-shaped stripe or mark, seen on uniforms, road signs, and in patterned fabric or architecture.

How do you pronounce “chevron”?

“Chevron” is pronounced SHEHV-ruhn (/ˈʃɛvɹɑn/ in IPA).

How do you use “chevron” in a sentence?

Here is “chevron” used in a sentence: “The sergeant's uniform had three chevrons on the sleeve.”

What is another word for “chevron”?

Words with a similar meaning to “chevron” include wicket.

What part of speech is “chevron”?

“Chevron” is a noun.

Where does the word “chevron” come from?

The word “chevron” comes from Latin. From Old French chevron, meaning "rafter" — the V-shape was thought to resemble the sloped timbers of a roof, ultimately from Latin caper, "goat," likely because of the animal's angled horns.

Is “chevron” a common word?

“Chevron” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “chevron” have?

“Chevron” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a V-shaped stripe or pattern, often used as a badge of military or police rank.

People also searched

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial