ribbon

American  

[rib-uhn] / ˈrɪb ən /

noun

1. 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.

2. material in such strips.

3. anything resembling or suggesting a ribbon or woven band.

4. 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.

5. a strip of material, as satin or rayon, being or representing a medal or similar decoration, especially a military one.

   an overseas ribbon.

6. ribbons,

   1. torn or ragged strips; shreds.

      clothes torn to ribbons.

   2. reins for driving.

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

8. Also called ribbon board.  Also called ledger, ledger board.  Also called ribbon strip,.  Carpentry. Also a thin horizontal piece attached to studding to support the ends of joists.

9. Architecture. came.

10. Nautical. Also a distinctive narrow band or stripe painted along the exterior of a hull.

11. Shipbuilding. ribband.

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verb (used with object)

1. to adorn with ribbon.

2. to mark with something suggesting ribbon.

3. to separate into ribbonlike strips.

verb (used without object)

1. to form in ribbonlike strips.

ribbon British  

/ ˈrɪbən /

noun

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

2. something resembling a ribbon; a long strip

   a ribbon of land

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

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

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

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

7. a small, usually looped, strip of coloured cloth worn to signify support for a charity or cause

   a red AIDS ribbon

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verb

1. to adorn with a ribbon or ribbons

2. to mark with narrow ribbon-like marks

3. to reduce to ribbons; tear into strips

Other Word Forms

• ribbon-like
  adjective
• ribbonlike
  adjective
• ribbony
  adjective
• unribboned
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of ribbon

First recorded in 1520–30; variant of Middle English riban(d), from Old French, variant of r(e)uban, perhaps from Germanic; see band ²

Example Sentences

Four larger cylinders sat on a rotating carousel, while four smaller masses were suspended inside on a copper-beryllium ribbon about as thick as a human hair.

From Science Daily • May 18, 2026

Airport workers in vests waved Venezuelan flags as officials and airline executives cut a ribbon.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

The Old Course opened in 2012 and the US president cut the ribbon on the New Course during his four-day private visit to Scotland last summer.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

The aviation-themed stadium hosted festivities including a flyover, a ribbon cutting and performances, with pitcher Brady Smith throwing the first pitch.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026

There was no way a ribbon could have caused this.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• bow
• decoration
• streamer
• strip
• stripe
• tape