Large, round medals or flat metal discs, often decorated with a design or portrait and worn on a chain or pinned to clothing.
From French 'médaillon,' derived from Italian 'medaglia' meaning 'medal.' The diminutive suffix '-on' originally meant a larger, more elaborate version of a medal, but now simply means an oval or round decorative disc.
Medallions look like giant medals, and the name tells the story—in Italian 'medaglia' plus a fancy suffix makes something extra special. Presidents, soldiers, and jewelry designers all use medallions to signal importance, and the word itself has been fancy since the Renaissance.
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