banner

1 of 3

noun

ban·​ner ˈba-nər 

1

a

: a piece of cloth attached by one edge to a staff and used by a leader (such as a monarch or feudal lord) as a standard (see standard entry 1 sense 1)

b

: flag entry 2 sense 1

our nation's beloved banner

c

: an ensign displaying a distinctive or symbolic device or legend (see legend sense 2a)

especially : one presented as an award of honor or distinction

2

: a headline in large type running across a newspaper page

The banner read "Kennedy Wins."

3

: a strip of cloth on which a sign is painted

welcome banners stretched across the street

4

: a name, slogan, or goal associated with a particular group or ideology

the new banner is "community control"

—F. M. Hechinger

—often used with under

every new administration arrives … under the banner of change

—John Cogley

5

or banner ad or banner advertisement : an advertisement graphic (see graphic entry 2 sense 2b) that runs usually across the top of a World Wide Web page

6

or banner petal : the upper, large, often lobed petal of a papilionaceous flower (as of a pea or bean plant) : standard sense 8a, vexillum sense 3

The uppermost petal is the largest, and, since it is something like a flag, is sometimes called the banner.

—John Nelson

compare keel sense 2b, wing sense 2e(2)

banner

2 of 3

verb

bannered; bannering; banners

transitive verb

1

: to furnish with a banner

a bannered storefront

2

journalism : to print (a news story) under a headline in large type usually on the front page

News of the defeat was bannered in newspapers throughout the country.

banner

3 of 3

adjective

1

: prominent in support of a political party

a banner Democratic county

2

: distinguished from all others especially in excellence

a banner year for business

Synonyms

Noun

• banderole
• banderol
• colors
• ensign
• flag
• guidon
• jack
• pendant [chiefly British]
• pendent
• pennant
• pennon
• standard
• streamer

Adjective

• A-OK
• A1
• awesome
• bang-up
• beautiful
• blue-chip
• blue-ribbon
• boffo
• bonny [chiefly British]
• bonnie
• boss [slang]
• brag
• brave
• bully
• bumper
• capital
• choice
• classic
• cool [slang]
• corking
• crackerjack
• cracking
• dandy
• divine
• dope [slang]
• down [slang]
• dynamite
• excellent
• fab
• fabulous
• famous
• fantabulous [slang]
• fantastic
• fine
• first-class
• first-rate
• first-string
• five-star
• four-star
• frontline
• gangbusters
• gangbuster
• gilt-edged
• gilt-edge
• gone [slang]
• grand
• great
• groovy
• heavenly
• high-class
• hot
• hype [slang]
• immense
• jim-dandy
• keen
• lovely
• marvelous
• marvellous
• mean
• neat
• nifty
• noble
• number one
• No. 1
• numero uno
• out-of-sight [slang]
• par excellence
• peachy
• peachy keen
• phat [slang]
• prime
• primo [slang]
• prize
• prizewinning
• quality
• radical [slang]
• righteous [slang]
• sensational
• slick
• splendid
• stellar
• sterling
• superb
• superior
• superlative
• supernal
• swell
• terrific
• tip-top
• top
• top-notch
• top-of-the-line
• top-shelf
• topflight
• topping [chiefly British]
• unsurpassed
• wizard [chiefly British]
• wonderful

Examples of banner in a Sentence

Noun

A banner was hung over the street advertising the local theater production.

Banners were carried by members of each group marching in the parade.

Adjective

It was a banner year for the sales department.

The team had a banner season last year.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

If the busy summer travel season was any indicator, airports could be braced for a banner year this holiday season — the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says summer 2024 was the busiest on record. —Brittany Anas, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

The gains on Election Day extended a banner year for U.S. stocks. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024

Adjective

Investment banking still holds appeal, especially after a banner fourth quarter. —Rochelle Toplensky, WSJ, 3 Mar. 2020

The ’70s weren’t exactly banner days for newsroom diversity. —Heidi Stevens, chicagotribune.com, 18 Apr. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English baner, banere, borrowed from Anglo-French baner, banere, baniere (also continental Old French), probably from ban "summon to arms by a king or lord" + -iere -er entry 2 — more at ban entry 2

Note: The assumption behind this etymology is that the word may have originally denoted the place where the men called to arms assembled, then the flag or pennant that marked that place. The alternative hypothesis that sees it as ultimately deriving from Gothic bandwa "sign" (see band entry 3) seems less likely. For the relation between this word and Old Occitan bandiera, see the etymology and note at banderole.

Verb

derivative of banner entry 1

Adjective

from attributive use of banner entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1807, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing banner

• under the banner of

Kids Definition

banner

1 of 2 noun

ban·​ner ˈban-ər 

1

: flag entry 2 sense 1

2

: a strip of cloth with a design, picture, or writing on it

banner

2 of 2 adjective

: unusually good : outstanding

a banner year for apples