Watchband

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A length of material that attaches a timekeeping device to the wrist and allows for both security and fashionable expression
2. An item crafted to connect a wristwatch to the wearer’s arm, combining practicality with personalized style
3. A strip of material designed to fasten a wristwatch comfortably on the arm

Etymology: A watchband is about as plain as English compounds get: "watch" joined to "band," with the meaning carried by both parts. The "watch" half refers to the small timepiece worn on the wrist, a sense that developed from the older meaning of a watch as a timekeeping device carried on the person, while "band" is the familiar word for a strip or loop that encircles something. Put together, the compound names the strap that holds the watch in place on the arm. The word is transparent enough that its parts explain it fully, so there is little more to trace beyond the two elements themselves.

Synonyms: watch strap, wristband