handkerchief
noun /ˈhæŋkətʃɪf/, /ˈhæŋkətʃiːf/
/ˈhæŋkərtʃɪf/, /ˈhæŋkərtʃiːf/
(plural handkerchiefs, handkerchieves
/ˈhæŋkətʃiːvz/
/ˈhæŋkərtʃiːvz/
)(also informal hanky, hankie)
- a small piece of material or paper that you use for blowing your nose, etc.
- He blew his nose on a dirty handkerchief.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- clean
- crumpled
- dirty
- …
- blow your nose on
- use
- wave
- …
Word Originmid 16th cent.: from hand + kerchief.