blue ribbon
English
Alternative forms
- blue-ribbon (attributive use)
Etymology
Perhaps a calque of Middle French cordon bleu (“blue ribbon”), worn by knights of the Order of the Holy Spirit, or after Blue Riband, a sailing award.
Pronunciation
Audio (AU) (file)
Noun
blue ribbon (plural blue ribbons)
- The highest honor or prize awarded in some competitions and contests.
- Mom's strawberry jam won the blue ribbon at the Holland County Fair three years running.
- 1859, Frederic William Farrar, Julian Home
- These [scholarships] were the blue ribbon of the [college].
- 2022 September 2, Kevin Roose, “An A.I.-Generated Picture Won an Art Prize. Artists Aren’t Happy.”, in The New York Times, ISSN 0362-4331:
- Mr. Allen’s work, “Théâtre D’opéra Spatial,” took home the blue ribbon in the fair’s contest for emerging digital artists — making it one of the first A.I.-generated pieces to win such a prize, and setting off a fierce backlash from artists who accused him of, essentially, cheating.
- The emblem of the Order of the Garter.
- The badge adopted by a teetotal society.
- (Internet) A badge worn or displayed to advocate freedom from online censorship.
- The icon of the blue ribbon on her site should not be taken to mean she opposes parental filtration programs.
Adjective
blue ribbon (not comparable)
- Very superior in quality, style, or substance.
- The governor selected a cadre of blue ribbon social scientists to serve on her poverty task force.
- (Australia, informal, politics) pertaining to the Liberal Party, its supporters and regions.
See also
- gold medal