Hankies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small piece of cloth used for wiping the face or hands; a fabric square typically carried in a pocket for personal hygiene; a traditional item often used to wave or signal during an event or celebration
2. A piece of fabric designed for personal use, such as blowing the nose or wiping sweat; a portable accessory often folded and stored in clothing; a decorative piece sometimes used in cultural or ceremonial contexts
3. A cloth item commonly employed for cleanliness and comfort; an everyday accessory that can serve both practical and ornamental purposes; a small textile often associated with gestures of affection or greeting

Etymology: "Hankies" is the plural of "hanky," the informal shortening of "handkerchief." The root of that longer word is simple: a "hand" plus a "kerchief," the latter a head-cloth from Middle English "keverchef," itself from Old French "covrechef," meaning "cover the head." So the everyday pocket cloth was named for what it did, not for the head it was once meant to cover. The clipped form "hanky" is a much later creation, a familiar diminutive that drops the second half of the compound and keeps the rhythm of the original. Its plural, "hankies," follows the common English pattern of changing a final "y" to "ie" before adding "s."

Synonyms: handkerchiefs, kerchiefs