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hankie

noun

han·​kie ˈhaŋ-kē How to pronounce hankie (audio)
variants or hanky
plural hankies

Examples of hankie in a Sentence

held a hankie up to his nose and blew vigorously
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Meanwhile, McCartney recalls requiring a hankie on first hearing his old partner-in-crime’s singing voice from beyond the grave. Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 26 Nov. 2025 Those were the bookends on a day littered with hankies. Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2025 Far from signaling misery, crying can be a source of pleasure, as when people pay good money to read a tearjerker or watch a three-hankie movie. Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025 If the refs keep their yellow hankies in their pockets, the Bills will secure a last second victory. Bill Reinhard, New York Daily News, 23 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hankie

Word History

Etymology

handkerchief + -ie

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hankie was in 1878

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hankie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hankie. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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