banner

American  

[ban-er] / ˈbæn ər /

noun

• banners
  plural

1. the flag of a country, army, troop, etc.

2. an ensign or the like bearing some device, motto, or slogan, as one carried in religious processions, political demonstrations, etc.

3. a flag formerly used as the standard of a sovereign, lord, or knight.

4. a sign painted on cloth and hung over a street, entrance, etc..

   Banners at the intersection announced the tennis tournament.

5. anything regarded or displayed as a symbol of principles.

6. Heraldry. a square flag bearing heraldic devices.

7. Also called line, screamer, streamer, banner line. Journalism. a headline extending across the width of a newspaper page, usually across the top of the front page.

8. an open streamer with lettering, towed behind an airplane in flight, for advertising purposes.

9. Also called banner ad. an advertisement that appears across the top or bottom or along one side of a web page.

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adjective

1. leading or foremost.

   a banner year for crops.

   Synonyms:

   vintage, red-letter, winning, record, notable

banner British  

/ ˈbænə /

noun

1. a long strip of flexible material displaying a slogan, advertisement, etc, esp one suspended between two points

2. a placard or sign carried in a procession or demonstration

3. something that represents a belief or principle

   a commitment to nationalization was the banner of British socialism

4. the flag of a nation, army, etc, used as a standard or ensign

5. (formerly) the standard of an emperor, knight, etc

6. Also called: banner headline. a large headline in a newspaper, etc, extending across the page, esp the front page

7. an advertisement, often animated, that extends across the width of a web page

8. a square flag, often charged with the arms of its bearer

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verb

1. (tr) (of a newspaper headline) to display (a story) prominently

adjective

1. outstandingly successful

   a banner year for orders

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• bannered
  adjective
• bannerless
  adjective
• bannerlike
  adjective
• unbannered
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• banners
  plural

Etymology

Origin of banner

1200–50; Middle English banere < Old French baniere < Late Latin bann ( um ) (variant of bandum standard < Germanic, compare Gothic bandwa sign; see band ¹) + Old French -iere < Latin -āria -ary

Explanation

As you listen to your guests sing to you on your birthday, you may see a long banner, or sign, hanging from the ceiling and announcing in sparkly letters, "Happy Birthday to You!" The noun banner often refers to a long sign that is announcing or advertising something. A banner might declare "Congratulations!" "Free Hot Dogs Here!" or, at a protest, "We're Not Going to Take It Anymore!" Banners have also gone virtual; it's hard to avoid seeing at least one annoying advertising banner across the top of any highly-trafficked website. A banner can also be a flag, as in "The Star Spangled Banner," or a championship banner hanging in a school gym.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

banner banners

For all the third quarter’s weakness, 2026 remains on track to be a banner year for equity capital markets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

Operating under the banner “the Sound of Tomorrow,” the collective championed artists like Kaytranada, Brent Faiyaz, Bryson Tiller and Snoh Aalegra before they were household names.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

"You could be the next Maricarmen," read one banner on display at the rally.

From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026

Weichardt said her organisation had a banner with nearly 40 symptoms on it.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

The balance showed over one million dollars, but there was also a red banner that told him to contact his financial institution.

From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty

But when it recently showed up on campus banners, Billy Ramirez, a Hispanic biology major, had been replaced by a black woman.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Commercial logos, banners and tent-like structures are also prohibited.

From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026

The only two championship banners displayed at the stadium are for their two Super Bowl wins.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026

Inside, The Red Army group of fans opted not to bring in their usual banners - instead display a single banner above the players' tunnel stating: "The way you treat us is a disgrace."

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

She gulped and glanced up at the Paragon banners.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

Related Words

• emblem
• headline
• pennant
• streamer