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handkerchief

American  
[hang-ker-chif, -cheef] / ˈhæŋ kər tʃɪf, -ˌtʃif /

noun

  1. a small piece of linen, silk, or other fabric, usually square, and used especially for wiping one's nose, eyes, face, etc., or for decorative purposes.

  2. a neckerchief or kerchief.

handkerchief British  
/ ˈhæŋkətʃɪf, -tʃiːf /

noun

  1. a small square of soft absorbent material, such as linen, silk, or soft paper, carried and used to wipe the nose, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of handkerchief

First recorded in 1520–30; hand + kerchief

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"He landed it on a handkerchief," says Aiken.

From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025

He says he knows from experience the perilous nature of racing, with jockeys balanced over a saddle the size of a large handkerchief and horses bunched together running up to 40 miles an hour.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 6, 2025

Afterwards Nawat appeared at a press conference wearing a tuxedo and openly weeping as he theatrically dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief, claiming he had been "betrayed".

From Barron's • Nov. 6, 2025

Indeed, using the flag as a handkerchief has at least twice led to courts-martial.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2025

The woman gazed at her with great sympathy and held out a clean pocket handkerchief.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.