I. ˈlābəl noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English from Middle French, from Old French label ribbon, fringe, label in heraldry, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German lappa flap, lappet — more at lap
1. archaic : a narrow piece (as of cloth) : strip , ribbon , lappet ; specifically : one attached to a document to hold an appended seal
2. obsolete : a rider or appendix originally appended to a document on an attached strip
3. : a heraldic charge consisting of a narrow bar with usually three pendants and used especially as a cadency mark to distinguish an eldest or only son during his father's life — called also file
4. : a representation (as in medieval art) of a band or scroll containing an inscription
5.
a. : a slip (as of paper, parchment, cloth, leather, metal) that is inscribed and affixed to something for identification, direction, or description : tag , sticker
write your name on the label and tie it to the basket
books with gilt-lettered red morocco labels
b. : written, printed, or graphic matter attached to or accompanying an article or inscribed on its container or wrapper identifying the contents or giving other appropriate information (as the destination of a parcel, the use of a medicine, the title of a book)
read the label on the bottle
c. : a descriptive, classifying, or identifying word or phrase: as
(1) : epithet
the term stream of consciousness … is already established as a literary label — Robert Humphrey
acquired the label of “playboy” which seemed to stick — Brian Crozier
hanging the subversive label on their own liberal clergy — Ralph Winnett
(2) : a word or phrase used with but not as part of a dictionary definition usually in abbreviated form and distinctive type to provide information (as grammatical function or area or level of usage) about the word defined
the label obsolete is abbreviated obs
(3) : a newspaper headline merely identifying the subject matter of an article rather than summarizing action
6. : a projecting molding by the sides and over the top of an opening ; specifically : a dripstone of square form characteristic of late Gothic work in England
7. : an adhesive stamp:
a. : postage stamp
b. : a stamp issued for some purpose (as revenue, notification of postage due) other than postage
8. : panel 3f(3)
9. : a labeled atom in a molecule
10.
a.
(1) : a brand of commercial recordings issued under a usually trademarked name
there are now available to record buyers more than 10,000 different labels — Joel Turner
from the Decca group we have, on the parent label , Liszt's “Faust” Symphony — Thomas Heinitz
(2) : one of the commercial recordings so issued
issue … compositions first on classical labels and then as “pops” singles — Current Biography
b. : a company issuing commercial recordings under one or more brand names
spent practically their entire recording careers with one label — J.S.Wilson b. 1913
most of the recordings made by these jazzmen were for small labels — Bill Simon
II. transitive verb
( labeled or labelled ; labeled or labelled ; labeling or labelling -b(ə)liŋ ; labels )
1. : to give a label to:
a. : to affix a label to : mark with a label
label a bottle
b. : to describe or designate with a label
subdivides his discussions … by sections labeled with numerals and letters — Robert Halsband
many girls labeled “bad” turned out to be … mentally ill — Marjorie Rittwagen
2.
a. : to distinguish (an element or atom) by using a radioactive isotope or an isotope of unusual mass for tracing through chemical reactions or biological processes
the distribution of labeled phosphorus [radiophosphorus] in a moth larva — E.O.Lawrence
b. : to distinguish (as a compound or molecule) especially by introducing a labeled atom
glycine labeled with carbon 14 in the carboxyl group