Plural of earmark; marks made on ears of animals to show ownership, or designated allocations of money or resources for specific purposes.
From 'earmark' (from 'ear' + 'mark'). The term has dual meanings: literal marks on animal ears and figurative designations of funds or resources.
Congressional earmarks have become so controversial that 'pork barrel' spending is often criticized—yet earmarking is also how lawmakers direct funding to their constituents' needs!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.