armband

American

[ahrm-band] / ˈɑrmˌbænd /

noun

a fabric band worn around the upper arm as a badge or symbol; brassard.

armband British

/ ˈɑːmˌbænd /

noun

a band of material worn round the arm, such as one bearing an identifying mark, etc, or a black one indicating mourning
an inflatable buoyancy aid, worn on the upper arm of a person learning to swim
an elasticated band worn round the upper arm to keep the shirtsleeve in place

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of armband

First recorded in 1790–1800; arm ¹ + band ²

Vocabulary lists containing armband

Excerpt from "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas"

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

armband

With or without the armband, he will be crucial to England's immediate prospects of success.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

So is the Norway star a leading candidate to take the armband?

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

"Whether he has the armband or not, he is going to be a leader on the pitch."

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai says he has "cleared" the situation with team-mates Curtis Jones and Kostas Tsimikas after a video emerged last week showing the trio seemingly arguing over the captain's armband.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

“This is important, Is,” I say, giving her an armband.

From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023