hanky

American  

[hang-kee] / ˈhæŋ ki /

Or hankie

noun

• hankies
  plural

1. a handkerchief.

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hanky British  

/ ˈhæŋkɪ /

noun

1. informal short for handkerchief

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• hankies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of hanky

First recorded in 1890–95; han(d)k(erchief) + -y ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hanky hankies

He pulled a white hanky from his breast pocket and dabbed away a tear after a prolonged embrace from his daughter, Ashley, who delivered a loving introduction.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2024

She drops a bag of groceries on to her kitchen table, and reaches for a clear plastic cup, covered by a white hanky and sealed with a hairband.

From The Guardian ● May 3, 2019

I considered taking out my own hanky to wipe her face, but then I remembered her explicit request not to be touched.

From The New Yorker ● Jan. 7, 2019

Big Laramie Valley Volunteer Fire Department Chief Richard Parrish handed me a blue hanky with a gesture toward my face.

From Washington Times ● Jun. 14, 2017

My jean pockets corked with a crusty hanky to foil the pickpockets, I waded along the high street.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

The 1970 film, based on the novel by Eric Segal, brought hankies out in cinemas across the world, and made international stars of O'Neal and Ali MacGraw.

From BBC ● Dec. 8, 2023

Mpofu’s tender and regretful “Addio, del passato” was heart-wrenching enough to make operagoers reach for their hankies.

From Seattle Times ● May 7, 2023

So, come for the boxing, yes — but bring plenty of hankies, too.

From New York Times ● Mar. 2, 2023

I spent several clammy seconds refolding the letter and reassembling the remaining contents exactly as they had been — death note at the bottom, hankies, silver dollars and baseball on top.

From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2021

The others have red hankies tied around their necks.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver