napkin ring

American  

noun

1. a ring or band of metal, wood, plastic, etc., through which a folded napkin is inserted, often as part of a place setting.

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Etymology

Origin of napkin ring

First recorded in 1680–90

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

napkin ring

He proposed to Elayyne during one of her prison visits, with a paper napkin ring.

From Slate ● May 2, 2026

“I love tucking rosemary sprigs in the napkin ring, or even as the ring itself. It looks and smells lovely.”

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 27, 2023

Sure, we may have thought to tuck a rosemary sprig into an existing napkin ring, but why not take it a step further and make the napkin ring itself from the herb?

From Salon ● Nov. 20, 2021

Vsauce has a fun video about the napkin ring problem, a surprising application of the technique.

From Scientific American ● Jan. 6, 2018

He picked up his wooden napkin ring and thrust his forefinger through it.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

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