mourning band

American  

noun

1. a piece of black cloth that is worn, especially as a band encircling the upper arm, to indicate mourning.

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mourning band British  

noun

1. a piece of black material, esp an armband, worn to indicate that the wearer is in mourning

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Etymology

Origin of mourning band

First recorded in 1610–20

Example Sentences

Pershing, wearing a dark mourning band on one sleeve, and Harding, wearing a top hat, walked side by side behind the caisson.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 10, 2021

The wide mourning band around the crown, which Lincoln added to honor his son, Willie, was still there, a symbol of solidarity with others who had lost sons.

From Washington Post

Wearing the traditional red mourning band of Ghana around their heads, the students gathered before the Ghana embassy on a street a mile from Red Square.

From Time Magazine Archive

But the wide one “is a mourning band for his son Willie. . . . You can see that he applied it to the hat after he purchased the hat.”

From Washington Post

Mama made me wait till she pinned the black mourning band for Granny on my shirt sleeve.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns