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.  Also called 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

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

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

The Daily Express quotes Falklands veteran Simon Weston who describes the Argentina banner as "childish and petulant".

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Conservatives following Disraeli worked to unite the two nations of rich and poor under one banner by using him as a symbol for that message.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

Two days later, Madonna reposted AI fan edits of herself atop the Empire State Building’s spire, waving a “Confessions II” banner.

From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026

But here on the West Coast, a whole continent away from your powdered periwigs and your Philly bell-ringing, 1776 was a banner year, too.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026

I opened up the Kids Bake Challenge! website and was about to click on the Full Episodes button when a banner on the side of the page caught my attention.

From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks

Black-clad Turkish police on street corners, giant blue banners proclaiming "The Key to Peace" and a ceremonial welcome for Donald Trump.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

They carried banners reading "Albania is not for sale" and "Revoke law on protected areas" referring to the legislation that has allowed the government to fast-track the project.

From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026

The fight between residents and the Ambiance Owners Assn. in San Marcos began after the HOA passed a policy prohibiting any flags, signs or banners in common areas.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026

They carried white banners with the words "We are with Nadiem" and "Free Nadiem".

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026

All around Helmuth, the courtroom, the justices, the swastika banners explode.

From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Related Words

• emblem
• headline
• pennant
• streamer