What does "chevron" mean?
A V-shaped pattern; used in architecture, and as an insignia of military or police rank, on the sleeve.
Chevron
/ˈʃɛvɹən/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A V-shaped pattern; used in architecture, and as an insignia of military or police rank, on the sleeve.
- Grammar: chevron is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: achievement, alerion, angle, angle stripe.
- Useful contrasts: flat surface, no insignia, plain field.
- Usage evidence: 2009, Jamie Dunn, Truckie has a point, Sunshine Coast Daily Online, June 13, 2009. I told you that in fact they were called chevrons and it was an exercise by the transport department to teach us to stay two chevrons behind the car in front.
How to use "chevron"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "chevron" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "chevron" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "chevron" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "chevron" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "chevron" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "achievement" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "chevron", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A V-shaped pattern; used in architecture, and as an insignia of military or police rank, on the sleeve.
- 2 an inverted V-shaped charge wordnet
- 3 A wide inverted V placed on a shield.
- 4 V-shaped sleeve badge indicating military rank and service wordnet
- 5 One of the V-shaped markings on the surface of roads used to indicate minimum distances between vehicles. British
"2009, Jamie Dunn, Truckie has a point, Sunshine Coast Daily Online, June 13, 2009. I told you that in fact they were called chevrons and it was an exercise by the transport department to teach us to stay two chevrons behind the car in front."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 A guillemet, either of the punctuation marks “«” or “»”, used in several languages to indicate passages of speech. Similar to typical quotation marks used in the English language such as ““” and “””.
- 7 An angle bracket, either used as a typographic or a scientific symbol.
- 8 A háček, a diacritical mark that may resemble an inverted circumflex. informal
"It is pertinent to remember, however, that one of the greatest phoneticians, Jan Hus, used diacritics (in the form of points, which have later become chevrons in his own language), and that his alphabet is the most satisfactory for eastern Europe, since it has been officially adopted by the languages which use the Latin script."
- 9 A wedge-shaped sediment deposit observed on coastlines and continental interiors around the world.
- 10 Synonym of arrowhead (“horse jump obstacle”).
Verb
- 1 To form or be formed into chevrons
"...the sheet to be chevroned locks itself into the furrow."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
flat surfaceno insigniaplain fieldplain motif
Example
"2009, Jamie Dunn, Truckie has a point, Sunshine Coast Daily Online, June 13, 2009. I told you that in fact they were called chevrons and it was an exercise by the transport department to teach us to stay two chevrons behind the car in front."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "chevron"?
Common synonyms include: achievement, alerion, angle, angle stripe, animal charge, annulet.
How do you use "chevron" in a sentence?
2009, Jamie Dunn, Truckie has a point, Sunshine Coast Daily Online, June 13, 2009. I told you that in fact they were called chevrons and it was an exercise by the transport department to teach us to stay two chevrons behind the car in front.
How do you pronounce "chevron"?
Pronounced /ˈʃɛvɹən/.
Etymology
From Middle English cheveroun, from Old French chevron, the mark so called because it looks like rafters of a shallow roof, from Vulgar Latin *capriō, from Latin caper (“goat”), the likely connection between goats and rafters being the animal's horns.