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In the 17th century, the word band was sometimes used for ruffs, the large round collars of pleated muslin or linen worn by men and women of the time period, and the bandbox was invented for holding such bands. The flimsy cardboard structure of the box inspired people to start using its name for any flimsy object, especially a small and insubstantial one. But people also contemplated the neat, sharp appearance of ruffs just taken from a bandbox and began using the word in a complimentary way in phrases such as "she looked as if she came out of a bandbox." Today, "bandbox" can also be used as an adjective meaning "exquisitely neat, clean, or ordered," as in "bandbox military officers."
Synonyms
Examples of bandbox in a Sentence
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 24 Sep. 2019
The Havocs are closer to a full 50 percent in a bandbox with a lower ceiling that contains, even amplifies, noise.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Dec. 2023
When the group had a night off in Boston a few years ago, Josh Kantor, the organist at Fenway, who has toured with the band, took them behind the scenes of the Red Sox’ ancient bandbox.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2023
The little bandbox of a stadium was teeming with fans screaming their lungs out for him.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2023
See all Example Sentences for bandbox 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bandbox.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Bandbox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bandbox. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
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