bandanna

Or ban·dan·a

[ban-dan-uh]

noun

1. a large, printed handkerchief, typically one with white spots or figures on a red or blue background.

2. any large scarf for the neck or head.

bandanna

/ bænˈdænə /

noun

1. a large silk or cotton handkerchief or neckerchief

Other Word Forms

• bandannaed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bandanna¹

1745–55; earlier bandanno (second syllable unstressed) < Hindi bā̃dhnū tie dyeing

Word History and Origins

Origin of bandanna¹

C18: from Hindi bāndhnū tie-dyeing, from bāndhnā to tie, from Sanskrit bandhnāti he ties

Example Sentences

Like the other women, Lopez wore a cap, several layers of clothing and a bandanna over her face to protect her from dust — and, she said, to keep her complexion nice.

From Los Angeles Times

Gryphon Woodson, a new high school graduate, grabbed a pair of goggles and a black bandanna to cover her face.

From Los Angeles Times

Look closely, and “Smile now, cry later” is etched into the clear glass below a suspended bandanna, a gently admonishing song lyric by Sunny and the Sunliners, the 1960s Chicano R&B group.

From Los Angeles Times

Here, a day after reportedly suffering from a cold in Chula Vista, Nelson kept warm in a stylish black puffer jacket to go with his signature red bandanna.

From Los Angeles Times

A West Hollywood resident who went by the name Anniejump came with a loud speaker and pink bandannas.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• handkerchief 

When To Use

What does bandanna mean?

A bandanna is a type of large handkerchief, usually patterned and brightly colored. While used for many purposes, bandannas are commonly worn on the head, to hold back hair or absorb sweat, or around the neck to protect it from the sun.Today, bandannas are often printed with a distinctive paisley pattern, are square, are made from cotton, and come in a variety of colors. Historically, bandannas were patterned with white spots on a red or blue background. Such a bandanna—red with white spots—is featured in the “We Can Do It!” wartime poster from 1943 created by graphic designer J. Howard Miller for Westinghouse Electric to help boost morale for its workers during World War II. In popular culture, the iconic, bicep-flexing woman wearing the bandanna in the poster has become Rosie the Riveter, though she is not technically that original character.[caption id="attachment_152384" align="alignnone" width="232"] Wikimedia[/caption]Another notable bandanna in U.S. history dates back to the very founding of the country itself. At the request of Martha Washington, the printmaker John Hewson, fashioned a red-and-white bandana featuring George Washington on horseback, his sword drawn and encircled by the words “George Washington, Esq. Foundator and Protector of America's Liberty and Independency.”Indeed, as the Washington bandanna shows, this textile has a long history not just of fashion and function but also to signal various groups, identities, and causes. Different colored bandannas were displayed as sexual code in the 1970s gay culture. Different colored bandanas have also been used to represent various gang affiliations.Still, the bandanna remains a very practical item. During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, many people used bandannas as makeshift, non-medical face masks to help prevent and protect themselves from the virus, which can spread through droplets expelled by coughing, sneezing, laughing, talking, and breathing.