band

¹ American  

[band] / bænd /

noun

1. a company of persons or, sometimes, animals or things, joined, acting, or functioning together; aggregation; party; troop.

   a band of protesters.

   Synonyms:

   assembly, association, society, set, body, group, gang

2. Music.

   1. a group of instrumentalists playing music of a specialized type.

      rock band; calypso band; mariachi band.

   2. a musical group, usually employing brass, percussion, and often woodwind instruments, that plays especially for marching or open-air performances.

   3. big band.

   4. dance band.

3. a division of a nomadic tribe; a group of individuals who move and camp together and subsist by hunting and gathering.

4. a group of persons living outside the law.

   a renegade band.

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verb (used with object)

1. to unite in a troop, company, or confederacy.

verb (used without object)

1. to unite; confederate (often followed bytogether ).

   They banded together to oust the chairman.

idioms

1. to beat the band, energetically; abundantly.

   It rained all day to beat the band.

band ² American  

[band] / bænd /

noun

1. a thin, flat strip of some material for binding, confining, trimming, protecting, etc..

   a band on each bunch of watercress.

2. a fillet, belt, or strap.

   a band for the hair;

   a band for connecting pulleys.

3. a stripe, as of color or decorative work.

4. a strip of paper or other material serving as a label.

   a cigar band.

5. a plain or simply styled ring, without mounted gems or the like.

   a thin gold band on his finger.

6. (on a long-playing phonograph record) one of a set of grooves in which sound has been recorded, separated from an adjacent set or sets by grooves without recorded sound.

7. bands. Geneva bands.

8. a flat collar commonly worn by men and women in the 17th century in western Europe.

9. Also called frequency band, wave band.  Radio and Television. a specific range of frequencies, especially a set of radio frequencies, as HF, VHF, and UHF.

10. Also called energy band.  Physics. a closely spaced group of energy levels of electrons in a solid.

11. Computers. one or more tracks or channels on a magnetic drum.

12. Dentistry. a strip of thin metal encircling a tooth, usually for anchoring an orthodontic apparatus.

13. Anatomy, Zoology. a ribbonlike or cordlike structure encircling, binding, or connecting a part or parts.

14. (in handbound books) one of several cords of hemp or flax handsewn across the back of the collated signatures of a book to provide added strength.

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verb (used with object)

1. to mark, decorate, or furnish with a band or bands.

band ³ American  

[band] / bænd /

noun

Archaic.

1. Usually bands. articles for binding the person or the limbs; shackles; manacles; fetters.

2. an obligation; bond.

   the nuptial bands.

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band ¹ British  

/ bænd /

noun

1. a thin flat strip of some material, used esp to encircle objects and hold them together

   a rubber band

2. 1. a strip of fabric or other material used as an ornament or distinguishing mark, or to reinforce clothing

   2. ( in combination )

      waistband

      hairband

      hatband

3. a stripe of contrasting colour or texture See also chromosome band

4. a driving belt in machinery

5. a range of values that are close or related in number, degree, or quality

6. 1. physics a range of frequencies or wavelengths between two limits

   2. radio such a range allocated to a particular broadcasting station or service

7. short for energy band

8. computing one or more tracks on a magnetic disk or drum

9. anatomy any structure resembling a ribbon or cord that connects, encircles, or binds different parts

10. the cords to which the folded sheets of a book are sewn

11. a thin layer or seam of ore

12. architect a strip of flat panelling, such as a fascia or plinth, usually attached to a wall

13. a large white collar, sometimes edged with lace, worn in the 17th century

14. either of a pair of hanging extensions of the collar, forming part of academic, legal, or (formerly) clerical dress

15. a ring for the finger (esp in phrases such as wedding band , band of gold , etc)

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verb

1. to fasten or mark with a band

2. to ring (a bird) See ring 1

band ² British  

/ bænd /

noun

1. an archaic word for bond bond bond

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band ³ British  

/ bænd /

noun

1. a company of people having a common purpose; group

   a band of outlaws

2. a group of musicians playing either brass and percussion instruments only ( brass band ) or brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments ( concert band or military band )

3. a group of musicians who play popular music, jazz, etc, often for dancing

4. a group of instrumentalists generally; orchestra

5. a formally recognized group of Canadian Indians on a reserve

6. anthropol a division of a tribe; a family group or camp group

7. a flock or herd

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verb

1. (usually foll by together) to unite; assemble

band Scientific  

/ bănd /

1. A specific range of electromagnetic wavelengths or frequencies, as those used in radio broadcasting.

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band More Idioms  

1. see on the bandwagon; to beat the band.

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Related Words

See company.

Other Word Forms

• bander noun
• bandless adjective

Etymology

Origin of band¹

First recorded in 1480–90; from Middle French bande, from Italian banda; cognate with Medieval Latin banda (plural of bandum) “(military) standard,” equivalent to Latin signum, from Germanic; akin to Gothic bandwa “(military) standard, sign, token”; band ², band ³, bend ¹, bond ¹

Origin of band²

First recorded in 1480–90; mostly and earlier from Middle English bende, biende “fetter, shackle, ornamental ribbon, sash,” Old English bend “band, ribbon, bond, fetter, chaplet,” partly and later from Old French bande, bende, from Germanic; compare Old High German binta “fillet”; see bind, band ¹, band ³, bend ¹, bond ¹

Origin of band³

First recorded in 1100–50; Middle English bend, bende, late Old English bend “something that ties, binds, or bends,” from Old Norse band “act of binding; cord, band, fetter; confederacy, bond”; cognate with Old Saxon, Old Frisian band, Old High German bant; akin to Sanskrit bandhati “(he) binds, ties, fetters”; band ¹, band ², bend ¹, bond ¹

Explanation

A band is a narrow strip of fabric or some other material, like the head band a little girl wears in her hair. When a patient is admitted to a hospital, she gets a plastic wrist band with her name on it. There are many different kinds of bands, from rubber bands to wedding bands — what they have in common is being thin and flat, and forming a kind of loop or circle. Other ways to use the word band include to mean musicians who play together or another group with something in common, like a band of thieves. When you band together with others, you join them in a clump or support a common cause.

Example Sentences

In the ’60s, Chong’s band The Shades was making a name for itself, touring Vancouver’s nightclub scene.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2026

“Of course, you can’t just remove the rules and processes, tell your team to be a jazz band, and expect it to be so. Without the right conditions, chaos will ensue,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026

Discussing whether the band have changed aspects of the songs, Sykes said if they went down that road "it just wouldn't be the record that people love".

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

In 1962 a rival band releases two hit singles, “Love Me Do” and “Please Please Me,” songs that would forever change the pop-music scene.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

His recycled sandwich resembled a rubber band squashed in lint.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Related Words

• bunch
• club
• collection
• company
• corps
• crew
• gang
• gathering
• party
• troop
• troupe