mascot

name

1. A suburb in southeastern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

noun

Etymology: Borrowed from French mascotte, from Occitan mascòta (“sortilege”), feminine diminutive of masca (“witch”), from Old Occitan masca, from Medieval Latin masca (“specter, nightmare”). More at mask.

1. Something thought to bring good luck.

   “I keep this red stone as a lucky mascot and always put it on my desk in exams.”

2. Something, especially a person or animal, used to symbolize a sports team, company, organization or other group.

   “Tommy the Tyke is the mascot of Barnsley FC.”

3. A person engaged by an organization to portray its mascot in costume.

   “He's been working as a mascot at local hockey games.”

4. A personality type characterized by reliance on humor and positivity to wish away conflicts and attempt to defuse potentially violent situations.

verb

Etymology: Borrowed from French mascotte, from Occitan mascòta (“sortilege”), feminine diminutive of masca (“witch”), from Old Occitan masca, from Medieval Latin masca (“specter, nightmare”). More at mask.

1. To act as a mascot (for).

   “The seniors were “mascoted” by two little girls dressed in green dresses […]”

   “Unlike the popular, sunny Van Zelst, McLoon was a sassy, hard-boiled kid who had been mascoting for various athletic teams and prize fighters […]”