# ribbon

/ˈɹɪbən/ (US) · /ɹˈɪbən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ribbon
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. decorative strip

noun · CEFR A2

a long, thin piece of fabric used to tie hair, wrap gifts, or decorate clothes.

For teachers: a narrow strip of fine material, such as silk or velvet, used for trimming, tying, or ornamentation.

- She tied a bright red ribbon around the birthday present.
- The dress was adorned with intricate silk ribbons that trailed elegantly behind her as she walked.

### 2. symbolic loop

noun · CEFR B1

a small loop of coloured cloth worn to show support for a cause.

For teachers: an awareness ribbon worn as a symbol of support for a specific social or medical cause.

- Many people wore a pink ribbon to support breast cancer awareness.
- The charity distributed yellow ribbons to attendees as a gesture of solidarity with the families of the missing soldiers.

### 3. shred or thin piece

noun · CEFR B2

a long, thin piece of something that has been torn or cut.

For teachers: a narrow strip or shred of material, often resulting from tearing or precise cutting.

- The chef cut the carrots into long, thin ribbons for the salad.
- The document was shredded into tiny ribbons, making it impossible for anyone to reconstruct the sensitive information.

### 4. software menu

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

the bar at the top of a computer program that holds all the tools and buttons.

For teachers: a graphical control element in the form of a set of toolbars placed on several tabs.

- You can find the font settings in the 'Home' tab on the ribbon.
- The latest software update redesigned the ribbon to make the most frequently used commands more accessible to novice users.

### 5. typewriter ink

noun · CEFR B2

the strip of ink-covered cloth used in a typewriter to print letters.

For teachers: an inked strip of fabric or plastic used to transfer pigment to paper in typewriters or impact printers.

- The typewriter ribbon ran out of ink, so the letters became very faint.
- He spent the afternoon hunting for a replacement ribbon for his vintage typewriter, eventually finding one in a dusty stationery shop.

### 6. to decorate

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to add ribbons to something to make it look pretty.

For teachers: to adorn or decorate a garment or object with ribbons.

- The children ribboned the Maypole with long strands of blue and white cloth.
- The banquet hall was ribboned with festive streamers that caught the light of the chandeliers.

### 7. to form stripes

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to mark something with long, thin lines of colour.

For teachers: to mark or variegate a surface with long, narrow stripes or streaks.

- The setting sun ribboned the sky with orange and purple clouds.
- Veins of white quartz ribboned the dark granite of the cliff face, creating a striking natural pattern.

## Examples

- She tied a red ribbon around the gift box.
- The winner of the race received a blue ribbon to mark their first-place finish.
- Intricate silk ribbons were woven through the bride's hair, complementing the delicate lace of her gown and the floral arrangements on the tables.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.