stripe

¹ American  

[strahyp] / straɪp /

noun

1. a relatively long, narrow band of a different color, appearance, weave, material, or nature from the rest of a surface or thing.

   the stripes of a zebra.

2. a fabric or material containing such a band or bands.

3. a strip of braid, tape, or the like.

4. stripes,

   1. a number or combination of such strips, worn on a military, naval, or other uniform as a badge of rank, service, good conduct, combat wounds, etc.

   2. Informal. status or recognition as a result of one's efforts, experience, or achievements.

      She earned her stripes as a traveling sales representative and then moved up to district manager.

5. a strip, or long, narrow piece of anything.

   a stripe of beach.

6. a streak or layer of a different nature within a substance.

7. style, variety, sort, or kind.

   a man of quite a different stripe.

8. Also called magnetic stripe.  Movies. a strip of iron oxide layer on the edge of a film that is used for recording and reproducing a magnetic sound track.

---

verb (used with object)

stripes, present (3rd person singular) striped, past participle, past striping present participle

1. to mark or furnish with a stripe or stripes.

stripe ² American  

[strahyp] / straɪp /

noun

1. a stroke with a whip, rod, etc., as in punishment.

---

stripe ¹ British  

/ straɪp /

noun

1. a relatively long band of distinctive colour or texture that differs from the surrounding material or background

2. a fabric having such bands

3. a strip, band, or chevron of fabric worn on a military uniform, etc, esp one that indicates rank

4. kind; sort; type

   a man of a certain stripe

---

verb

1. (tr) to mark with a stripe or stripes

stripe ² British  

/ straɪp /

noun

1. a stroke from a whip, rod, cane, etc

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• stripeless
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has striped
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have striped
  perfect
• am striping
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been striping
  perfect progressive
• are striping
  progressive
• striping
  participle
• has been striping
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• stripes
  singular 3rd person
• is striping
  progressive 3rd person singular

Past

• had striped
  perfect
• were striping
  progressive plural
• was striping
  progressive singular
• striped
  simple
• had been striping
  perfect progressive
• striped
  participle

Future

• will stripe
  simple
• will have striped
  perfect
• will be striping
  progressive
• will have been striping
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of stripe¹

First recorded in 1620–30; probably from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German strīpe; see also strip ², stripe ²

Origin of stripe²

First recorded in 1450–1500; late Middle English; obscurely akin to stripe ¹

Example Sentences

Once the Revolutionary War commenced, and for years after, America’s merchant marine fleet was targeted by pirates of every stripe.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

Males display a bold red and white stripe along their sides and have amber eyes, while females feature a simpler yellow stripe and orange-yellow eyes.

From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2026

There was a horizontal stripe down the shirt, she said.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

Kurt Cobain strummed the grunge anthem’s iconic four-chord opening riff on a 1969 Fender Mustang, Lake Placid Blue with a signature racing stripe.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026

I killed my first game, a beautiful tawny beast with curved horns and a black diagonal stripe across his flank: a young male impala.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Related Words

• ribbon