ribbon

[ rib-uh n ]

/ ˈrɪb ən /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR ribbon ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a woven strip or band of fine material, as silk or rayon, varying in width and finished off at the edges, used for ornament, tying, etc.

material in such strips.

anything resembling or suggesting a ribbon or woven band.

a band of inked material used in a typewriter, adding machine, etc., that supplies ink for printing the figure on the striking typeface onto the paper beneath.

a strip of material, as satin or rayon, being or representing a medal or similar decoration, especially a military one: an overseas ribbon.

ribbons,

torn or ragged strips; shreds: clothes torn to ribbons.
reins for driving.

a long, thin flexible band of metal, as for a spring, a band saw, or a tapeline.

Also riband, ribband, Also called ledger, ledger board, ribbon strip. Carpentry. a thin horizontal piece let into studding to support the ends of joists.

Architecture. came².

Also riband, ribband. Nautical. a distinctive narrow band or stripe painted along the exterior of a hull.

Shipbuilding. ribband¹(def 1).

verb (used with object)

to adorn with ribbon.

to mark with something suggesting ribbon.

to separate into ribbonlike strips.

verb (used without object)

to form in ribbonlike strips.

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Origin of ribbon

1520–30; variant of Middle English riban(d) < Old French, variant of r (e)uban, perhaps < Germanic. See band²

OTHER WORDS FROM ribbon

rib·bon·like, rib·bon·y, adjectiveun·rib·boned, adjective

Words nearby ribbon

ribbed vault, ribbed-knit, ribbentrop, ribbing, ribble, ribbon, ribbon copy, ribbon development, ribbon lightning, ribbon microphone, ribbon plant

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for ribbon

At various times, we had spoken about honors--Hitchcock had been awarded the Légion d'Honneur and wore a ribbon in his lapel.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
William and Harry were today cutting the ribbon on a new recovery centre for the charity Help for Heroes in Wiltshire.
Harry's Helping Hand For Heroes|Tom Sykes|May 20, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The red AIDS ribbon subsequently became a unifying symbol for engagement and solidarity.
Martha Plimpton on Women’s Rights, Sandra Fluke, and Organization A is For|Martha Plimpton|November 5, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The ribbon whooshes up and along walls before settling down, here and there, into something you can sit on.
Vito Acconci Named Designer of the Year by Design Miami|Blake Gopnik|October 24, 2012|DAILY BEAST

And with a fine dose of ribbon embroidery and a bit of sparkle, grunge was dressed up enough for a grownup.
Raf’s Ready-to-Wear Debut at Dior|Robin Givhan|September 28, 2012|DAILY BEAST
I was still so youthful that I felt uneasy about the ribbon which seemed to blaze and draw all eyes.
My Recollections|Jules Massenet
He could get him into a corner, and quarrel with him privately about the cut of his beard, or the color of his ribbon.
Westward Ho!|Charles Kingsley
Lou blushed until her cheeks were as red as the ribbon on her hat.
The Starbucks|Opie Percival Read
I hoped for a forgotten hairpin, for some tiny piece of ribbon.
The Arrow of Gold|Joseph Conrad
She bent forward, arranging the ribbon of a slipper, and her mouth met his in a long kiss.
Cytherea|Joseph Hergesheimer

British Dictionary definitions for ribbon

ribbon

/ (ˈrɪbən) /

noun

a narrow strip of fine material, esp silk, used for trimming, tying, etc

something resembling a ribbon; a long stripa ribbon of land

a long thin flexible band of metal used as a graduated measure, spring, etc

a long narrow strip of ink-impregnated cloth for making the impression of type characters on paper in a typewriter or similar device

(plural) ragged strips or shreds (esp in the phrase torn to ribbons)

a small strip of coloured cloth signifying membership of an order or award of military decoration, prize, or other distinction

a small, usually looped, strip of coloured cloth worn to signify support for a charity or causea red AIDS ribbon

verb (tr)

to adorn with a ribbon or ribbons

to mark with narrow ribbon-like marks

to reduce to ribbons; tear into strips

Derived forms of ribbon

ribbon-like or ribbony, adjective

Word Origin for ribbon

C14 ryban, from Old French riban, apparently of Germanic origin; probably related to ring 1, band ²

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

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ribbon