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

To say he makes the most of the material isn’t quite doing it justice – Gilgun manages to make a ballgown out of a snotty hanky, and seems to have enormous fun doing it.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 22, 2020

It’s a good sign that the new administration has instituted a fraud check system to try to detect future hanky panky.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 4, 2019

But who wants to see a swashbuckler coughing up blood into a stolen gentlemen’s hanky?

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2018

We did this about three times, and there was no physical contact, no hanky panky, just old-fashioned dating, conversation and dining.

From The Verge ● Sep. 11, 2016

She blotted her forehead with a lace-fringed hanky.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

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

Knots of people stand in shop doorways, a few clutch shopping bags, others have hankies wrapped tightly into their hands.

From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2021

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

All carried hankies in their fat dimpled hands.

From "Clayton Byrd Goes Underground" by Rita Williams-Garcia