ribbon

American  

[rib-uhn] / ˈrɪb ən /

noun

1. a woven strip or band of fine material, as silk or rayon, varying in width and finished off at the edges, used for ornament, tying, etc.

2. material in such strips.

3. anything resembling or suggesting a ribbon or woven band.

4. a band of inked material used in a typewriter, adding machine, etc., that supplies ink for printing the figure on the striking typeface onto the paper beneath.

5. a strip of material, as satin or rayon, being or representing a medal or similar decoration, especially a military one.

   an overseas ribbon.

6. ribbons,

   1. torn or ragged strips; shreds.

      clothes torn to ribbons.

   2. reins for driving.

7. a long, thin flexible band of metal, as for a spring, a band saw, or a tapeline.

8. Also called ribbon board.  Also called ledger, ledger board.  Also called ribbon strip,.  Carpentry. Also a thin horizontal piece attached to studding to support the ends of joists.

9. Architecture. came.

10. Nautical. Also a distinctive narrow band or stripe painted along the exterior of a hull.

11. Shipbuilding. ribband.

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verb (used with object)

1. to adorn with ribbon.

2. to mark with something suggesting ribbon.

3. to separate into ribbonlike strips.

verb (used without object)

1. to form in ribbonlike strips.

ribbon British  

/ ˈrɪbən /

noun

1. a narrow strip of fine material, esp silk, used for trimming, tying, etc

2. something resembling a ribbon; a long strip

   a ribbon of land

3. a long thin flexible band of metal used as a graduated measure, spring, etc

4. a long narrow strip of ink-impregnated cloth for making the impression of type characters on paper in a typewriter or similar device

5. (plural) ragged strips or shreds (esp in the phrase torn to ribbons )

6. a small strip of coloured cloth signifying membership of an order or award of military decoration, prize, or other distinction

7. a small, usually looped, strip of coloured cloth worn to signify support for a charity or cause

   a red AIDS ribbon

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verb

1. to adorn with a ribbon or ribbons

2. to mark with narrow ribbon-like marks

3. to reduce to ribbons; tear into strips

Other Word Forms

• ribbon-like
  adjective
• ribbonlike
  adjective
• ribbony
  adjective
• unribboned
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of ribbon

First recorded in 1520–30; variant of Middle English riban(d), from Old French, variant of r(e)uban, perhaps from Germanic; see band ²

Example Sentences

Coady, who was posthumously promoted from specialist, had awards and decorations including the Army Service Ribbon, the National Defense Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon, the military said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

All of its posh shops still are shut: Erewhon, Bay Theater, Blue Ribbon Sushi, athletic apparel store Alo, Buck Mason men’s and Veronica Beard women’s boutiques.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2026

White Ribbon sessions involve case study scenario work, learning safe ways to intervene in concerning situations and being given techniques on how to manage disclosures by a victim.

From BBC • Sep. 29, 2025

Welch, of the Blue Ribbon Coalition, described a potential loss of air support as “catastrophic.”

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 17, 2025

We are the ones who earn their state grants; we are the ones who make this place a nationally recognized Blue Ribbon School— and we are the ones who are being alienated.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

Related Words

• bow
• decoration
• streamer
• strip
• stripe
• tape