earmark C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas US /ˈɪrmɑrk/ UK /ˈɪəmɑːk/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 verb to set aside funds or resources for a particular purpose The grant was earmarked for cancer research. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · to set aside funds or... allocatedesignatereserveset asideassignappropriatetag Word family Derived forms earmarked Related forms earmark Etymology AI details A compound of 'ear' + 'mark', originally a mark cut in the ear of livestock to show ownership; the figurative 'set aside funds' sense is 19th-century. ēare Old English mearc Old English View etymology graph -> Topics Abstract Ideas External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # earmark **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** verb **IPA (US):** /ˈɪrmɑrk/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈɪəmɑːk/ ## Meanings 1. to set aside funds or resources for a particular purpose ## Examples - The grant was earmarked for cancer research. ## Synonyms - allocate - designate - reserve - set aside - assign - appropriate - tag ## Derived Forms - earmarked ## Related Forms - ear - mark ## Roots and Affixes - Root: ēare - Root: mearc ## Etymology A compound of 'ear' + 'mark', originally a mark cut in the ear of livestock to show ownership; the figurative 'set aside funds' sense is 19th-century. ## AI Etymology Earmark is a compound of 'ear' + 'mark', originally a mark cut in the ear of livestock to show ownership; the figurative 'set aside funds' sense is 19th-century. In present-day use, it means to set aside funds or resources for a particular purpose. Derived formations include earmarked. Related vocabulary includes ear and mark. ## Topics - Abstract Ideas markdown