noun
pl. -·chiefs· or -·chieves·- a small, square piece of linen, cotton, silk, etc., for wiping the nose, eyes, or face, or carried or worn for ornament
- kerchief
Origin of handkerchief
hand + kerchief
A woman wipes her nose on a handkerchief.
The definition of a handkerchief is a small, tightly-woven square of cloth that is carried in the pocket.
An example of a handkerchief is a small square of cotton cloth that you carry in your pocket and use to wipe your runny nose when you have a cold.
YourDictionary definition and usage example. Copyright © 2018 by LoveToKnow Corp
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"handkerchief." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/handkerchief>.
APA Style
handkerchief. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/handkerchief
handkerchief
Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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MLA Style
"handkerchief." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/handkerchief>.
APA Style
handkerchief. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/handkerchief
handkerchief
noun
pl. hand·ker·chiefs, also hand·ker·chieves- A small square of cloth used especially for wiping the nose or mouth.
- A large piece of cloth worn as a decorative article; a scarf.
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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Cite this page
MLA Style
"handkerchief." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/handkerchief>.
APA Style
handkerchief. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/handkerchief
Noun
(plural handkerchiefs)
- A piece of cloth, usually square and often fine and elegant, carried for wiping the face, eyes, nose or hands.
- A piece of cloth shaped like a handkerchief to be worn about the neck; a neckerchief or neckcloth.
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"handkerchief." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/handkerchief>.
APA Style
handkerchief. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/handkerchief
Sentence Examples
- She took out her handkerchief and began to cry.
- Fred held a large white handkerchief to his face.
- I don't know how the others kept a straight face but I pulled out a handkerchief, pretending to blow my nose.
- His hands ached and he tried tying a handkerchief to ease the pressure.
- There was a handkerchief pressed to her nose and he thought she was crying.
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