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handkerchief

American  
[hang-ker-chif, -cheef] / ˈhæŋ kər tʃɪf, -ˌtʃif /

noun

  1. a small piece of linen, silk, or other fabric, usually square, and used especially for wiping one's nose, eyes, face, etc., or for decorative purposes.

  2. a neckerchief or kerchief.

handkerchief British  
/ ˈhæŋkətʃɪf, -tʃiːf /

noun

  1. a small square of soft absorbent material, such as linen, silk, or soft paper, carried and used to wipe the nose, etc

"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 handkerchief

First recorded in 1520–30; hand + kerchief

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.

There was a tap on the roof and many soaked shirts and handkerchief in water and pressed them to their mouths.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

A man desperately searching for a handkerchief while trying to stifle a sneeze, the world’s oldest magician making a comeback — these hilarious bits require no context.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2025

Afterwards Nawat appeared at a press conference wearing a tuxedo and openly weeping as he theatrically dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief, claiming he had been "betrayed".

From Barron's • Nov. 6, 2025

Mr. Pärt has referred to music as “the handkerchief for drying my tears of sadness, the source of my tears of joy.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 27, 2025

Aunt Florentine put the handkerchief to Peach’s nose, and he blew a loud honking blow.

From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.