ribbon

A1 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled riband and ribband

US /ˈɹɪbən/ UK /ˈɹɪbən/ See IPA manual

Freq #8987

Meanings

1

noun
A long, narrow strip of cloth used for decorating or tying things.

She tied a red ribbon around the gift.
2

noun
A small folded strip of coloured ribbon worn to show support for a cause.

Supporters wore pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness.
3

noun
Any long, thin object that looks like a strip of material.

A ribbon of road wound through the valley.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

3 noun · any long, thin object that... thread

Word family

Forms beribbonedribbons

Derived forms beribbonlip-ribbonmicroribbonnanoribbonribbonbackribbonerribbonfishribbongrassribbonismribboniteribbonizationribbonize

Related forms riband

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

typewriter ribbon
an inked strip used by a typewriter to print characters on paper

Noun + noun

Etymology

From Middle English riban, ryban, ryband, from Old French riban, ruban ( > modern French ruban), of uncertain origin. Likely from a Germanic compound whose second element is cognate with English band. Compare Middle Dutch ringhband (“necklace”, literally “ring-band”).

riban Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# ribbon

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɹɪbən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɹɪbən/
**Frequency rank:** 8987

## Meanings
1. A long, narrow strip of cloth used for decorating or tying things.
2. A small folded strip of coloured ribbon worn to show support for a cause.
3. Any long, thin object that looks like a strip of material.

## Examples
- She tied a red ribbon around the gift.
- Supporters wore pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness.
- A ribbon of road wound through the valley.

## Derived Forms
- beribbon
- lip-ribbon
- microribbon
- nanoribbon
- ribbonback
- ribboner
- ribbonfish
- ribbongrass
- ribbonism
- ribbonite
- ribbonization
- ribbonize

## Related Forms
- riband

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: riban

## Etymology
From Middle English riban, ryban, ryband, from Old French riban, ruban ( > modern French ruban), of uncertain origin. Likely from a Germanic compound whose second element is cognate with English band. Compare Middle Dutch ringhband (“necklace”, literally “ring-band”).

## AI Etymology
Ribbon comes from Middle English riban, ryban, ryband, from Old French riban, ruban ( > modern French ruban), of uncertain origin. Likely from a Germanic compound whose second element is cognate with English band. Compare Middle Dutch ringhband (“necklace”, literally “ring-band”). Modern senses include a long, narrow strip of cloth used for decorating or tying things. and a small folded strip of coloured ribbon worn to show support for a cause.. The wider word family includes derivatives such as beribbon, lip-ribbon, microribbon, nanoribbon, ribbonback, and ribboner and related forms such as riband.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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