bandage

American  

[ban-dij] / ˈbæn dɪdʒ /

noun

1. a strip of cloth or other material used to bind up a wound, sore, sprain, etc.

   Synonyms:

   compass, binding, dressing

2. anything used as a band or ligature.

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verb (used with object)

bandaged, bandaging

1. to bind or cover with a bandage.

   to bandage the ankles of a football player to prevent sprains.

verb (used without object)

bandaged, bandaging

1. to put a bandage on a wound, sprain, etc..

   Apply some iodine before you bandage.

bandage British  

/ ˈbændɪdʒ /

noun

1. a piece of material used to dress a wound, bind a broken limb, etc

2. a strip of any soft material used for binding, etc

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verb

1. to cover or bind with a bandage

Other Word Forms

• bandager noun
• rebandage verb (used with object)
• unbandage verb (used with object)
• well-bandaged adjective

Etymology

Origin of bandage

From Middle French, dating back to 1590–1600; band ², -age

Explanation

A bandage is a piece of tape or cloth that's used to slow the flow of blood from a cut or another wound. Any good first aid kit is equipped with plenty of bandages. A bandage can vary from being a tiny plastic strip you stick on the spot where your cat scratched you to a thick, wide cloth that's applied to a serious injury at a hospital. You can also use it as a verb: "If I were you, I'd bandage that skinned knee so it doesn't get dirty." Bandage is a Middle French word, from the Old French bander, "to bind," and ultimately bande, "a strip."

Example Sentences

The caption — complete with a winking emoji blowing a kiss — accompanied a photo of the “St. Denis Medical” star wearing a bandage around her face and neck.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

His grandmother gestured to the bandage across his face.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

These stories are harsh and brief, like a bandage ripped from a wound.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

But any payment is only a bandage for a deeply rigged market.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 23, 2025

That softness we hide striding down the street—how do you hide it when you got to bandage up a skinned knee and kiss it to make it better?

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon

Related Words

• dressing
• gauze
• plaster