rubber band

American  

noun

1. a narrow, circular or oblong band of rubber, used for holding things together, as papers or a box and its lid.

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rubber band British  

noun

1. Also called: elastic band.  a continuous loop of thin rubber, used to hold papers, etc, together

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Usage

What else does rubber band mean? The handy, dandy rubber band, useful for flinging at people and holding together important things, like stacks of cash money, as rubber bands refer to in hip-hop slang.Rubber bands also come up in fashion contexts, from bracelets and hairstyles, and a common complaint for those who have to use special ones for orthodontic braces.

Etymology

Origin of rubber band

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

It was the polished crotch of a limb, fitted with rubber bands and a leather pouch where the rock rested.

From Literature

A control box with toggle switches was attached to the car with a rubber band.

From Literature

He was wearing an orange life jacket across his wide chest, the buckles stretched so tight they reminded me of rubber bands about to bust.

From Literature

After that, it would begin to shrink, eventually collapsing back into a single point, much like a stretched rubber band snapping back.

From Science Daily

Made with wood, springs and rubber bands, Rich Walker remembers fondly the first robotic hand built by Shadow Robot in the late 1990s.

From BBC