poster child
B2-C1Informal to neutral. Primarily journalistic and conversational.
Definition
Meaning
A child who represents or is the public face of a charitable cause, campaign, or organisation.
A person or thing that is a prominent, perfect, or typical example of a particular quality, movement, cause, or condition, often used figuratively.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term originates from the practice of using images of afflicted children on charity posters to solicit donations. Its figurative meaning (dominant today) often carries connotations of being an ideal or emblematic example, but can also be used negatively to denote an extreme or notorious case.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or meaning difference. The term 'poster boy' or 'poster girl' is equally common.
Connotations
Slightly more likely to be used with negative or ironic connotations in British English (e.g., 'poster child for government failure'). American usage can be more frequently positive or aspirational.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American English, but well-established and understood in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[be/ become/ serve as] the poster child + for + [cause/ movement/ quality]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[He/She/It] is the poster child for [something]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe a company or product seen as the ideal example of a trend or strategy. 'The startup became the poster child for agile development.'
Academic
Used figuratively in social sciences to discuss emblematic cases. 'The country was analysed as a poster child for neoliberal reform.'
Everyday
Common in news and conversation to describe a person epitomising a situation. 'He's the poster child for hard work paying off.'
Technical
Rare. Possible in medical or charity contexts referring to actual patient representatives.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The girl in the photo is the poster child for the charity.
- She became the poster child for the fight against the disease.
- The company was once the poster child for Silicon Valley innovation, but has since struggled.
- Critics held him up as the poster child for political corruption and entitlement.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a **child** on a **poster** for a charity. That child perfectly represents the cause. Any person/thing that perfectly represents an idea is its 'poster child'.
Conceptual Metaphor
REPRESENTATION IS VISIBILITY (A poster makes something highly visible; the 'poster child' is the most visible representative).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation as 'ребёнок плаката' – it is nonsensical. Use 'живой символ', 'олицетворение', or 'идеальный пример' depending on context.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'poster child' to mean a literal, well-behaved child. Confusing it with 'role model' (a poster child exemplifies a state; a role model is someone to emulate).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'poster child' CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is very commonly used ironically or critically to highlight a negative extreme (e.g., 'poster child for inefficiency').
Yes, they are synonyms. 'Poster child' is gender-neutral, while 'poster boy/girl' specifies gender.
No, it is frequently applied to organisations, products, cities, or even abstract concepts as a figurative expression.
It is informal to neutral. It is common in journalism and speech but is often replaced by words like 'epitome' or 'exemplar' in very formal writing.
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