banner

American  

[ban-er] / ˈbæn ər /

noun

• banners
  plural

1. the flag of a country, army, troop, etc.

2. an ensign or the like bearing some device, motto, or slogan, as one carried in religious processions, political demonstrations, etc.

3. a flag formerly used as the standard of a sovereign, lord, or knight.

4. a sign painted on cloth and hung over a street, entrance, etc..

   Banners at the intersection announced the tennis tournament.

5. anything regarded or displayed as a symbol of principles.

6. Heraldry. a square flag bearing heraldic devices.

7. Also called line, screamer, streamer, banner line. Journalism. a headline extending across the width of a newspaper page, usually across the top of the front page.

8. an open streamer with lettering, towed behind an airplane in flight, for advertising purposes.

9. Also called banner ad. an advertisement that appears across the top or bottom or along one side of a web page.

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adjective

1. leading or foremost.

   a banner year for crops.

   Synonyms:

   vintage, red-letter, winning, record, notable

banner British  

/ ˈbænə /

noun

1. a long strip of flexible material displaying a slogan, advertisement, etc, esp one suspended between two points

2. a placard or sign carried in a procession or demonstration

3. something that represents a belief or principle

   a commitment to nationalization was the banner of British socialism

4. the flag of a nation, army, etc, used as a standard or ensign

5. (formerly) the standard of an emperor, knight, etc

6. Also called: banner headline. a large headline in a newspaper, etc, extending across the page, esp the front page

7. an advertisement, often animated, that extends across the width of a web page

8. a square flag, often charged with the arms of its bearer

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verb

1. (tr) (of a newspaper headline) to display (a story) prominently

adjective

1. outstandingly successful

   a banner year for orders

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• bannered
  adjective
• bannerless
  adjective
• bannerlike
  adjective
• unbannered
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• banners
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of banner

1200–50; Middle English banere < Old French baniere < Late Latin bann ( um ) (variant of bandum standard < Germanic, compare Gothic bandwa sign; see band ¹) + Old French -iere < Latin -āria -ary

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Explanation

As you listen to your guests sing to you on your birthday, you may see a long banner, or sign, hanging from the ceiling and announcing in sparkly letters, "Happy Birthday to You!" The noun banner often refers to a long sign that is announcing or advertising something. A banner might declare "Congratulations!" "Free Hot Dogs Here!" or, at a protest, "We're Not Going to Take It Anymore!" Banners have also gone virtual; it's hard to avoid seeing at least one annoying advertising banner across the top of any highly-trafficked website. A banner can also be a flag, as in "The Star Spangled Banner," or a championship banner hanging in a school gym.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

banner banners

Carrying a banner reading "Stop violence against students," the marchers called for Rama to resign.

From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026

It comes as semiconductor stocks have had a banner year amid hyperscalers boosting their artificial-intelligence capital expenditure to quickly fund the buildout of the tool as the race to dominate in the industry fuels on.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

“The data is there,” said Pan, speaking before a banner decorated with purple butterflies and the proclamation, “Black Mothers Matter.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026

Debs gained notoriety in America because he “brandished the red banner with such zeal.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

For a time, the picketers were a tourist attraction, and people would ask to hold a banner and pose for a photograph.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

The walls and ceiling of the Black Sheep Sports Bar, where the Manhattan Young Democrats are hosting their fourth social of the year, are still covered in World Cup banners and flags.

From Slate ● Oct. 20, 2026

T-shirts and souvenirs bearing his features are on sale in a nearby shop, and several businesses have erected large banners to welcome him to Chiclayo.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

The combined company would have nearly 5,000 stores under Kroger banners including Fred Meyer, Roundy’s and Mariano’s with the owner of Safeway, Vons and Jewel-Osco.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

Inside the ground, Liverpool are renowned for their collection of banners and flags and plenty are planned.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

It’s a little trailer with banners hanging from it displaying Coke ads and a sign that says BIENVENIDO.

From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya

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Related Words

• emblem
• headline
• pennant
• streamer

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