Ribbon

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɹɪbən/

Definitions

1. A long, narrow strip of fabric or material, typically used for decoration, tying, or fastening objects together
2. A length of thin material, often decorative, used for tying items together, embellishing objects, or commemorating special events
3. A slender and elongated piece of fabric or similar material that serves decorative purposes, binds things together, or marks significant occasions

Etymology: The English "ribbon" arrived from Old French "riban" or "ruban," and its ultimate origin is unclear. A plausible guess is a Germanic compound in which the second element is related to English "band," perhaps something like a "ring-band." Middle Dutch "ringhband," meaning "necklace" and literally "ring-band," shows the same pattern, which hints at how the word may first have been understood: a band worn around something, rather than a flat decorative strip. English had its own word for the thing, Old English "þwǣle," meaning "strip" or "ribbon," but Middle English speakers adopted the French term in its place. The native word did not survive, so the borrowed one took over the whole job.

Synonyms: strip, tape, band