stripe

1 of 3

noun (1)

: a stroke or blow with a rod or lash

stripe

2 of 3

verb

striped ˈstrīpt How to pronounce stripe (audio) ; striping

transitive verb

: to make stripes on or variegate with stripes

stripe

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
a
: a line or long narrow section differing in color or texture from parts adjoining
b(1)
: a textile design consisting of lines or bands against a plain background
(2)
: a fabric with a striped design
2
: a narrow strip of braid or embroidery usually in the shape of a bar, arc, or chevron that is worn (as on the sleeve of a military uniform) to indicate rank or length of service
3
: a distinct variety or sort : type
persons of the same political stripe
stripeless adjective

Examples of stripe in a Sentence

Noun (1) the prisoner was sentenced to receive 20 stripes with a bamboo pole Verb the children carefully striped the paper with red and blue paint Noun (2) the United States flag has seven red stripes singers of every stripe will perform at the benefit concert
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.
Noun
Despite the seriousness of the charges, many social media users have taken a strikingly flippant stance on the cold-blooded public execution of an American insurance executive, highlighting a consensus among people of all political stripes that the country's healthcare industry is deeply broken. Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024 Case in point: Americans of all political stripes spent aggressively on Cyber Monday, shelling out a whopping $13.3 billion in the biggest online shopping day on record. Matt Egan, CNN, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
The black and white striped sweater from Extreme Cashmere is up for sale, as is the baby blue and orange cardigan from Hades Wool. Aamina Inayat Khan, StyleCaster, 10 Dec. 2024 Many were young birds, striped, despite their name, in brown and tan upon their heads. Jack Gedney, The Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for stripe 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, welt, long scar, blow, probably from stripe band on a garment

Verb

Middle English, to place bands or edging on (a garment), from Middle Dutch stripan, from stripe, strepe stripe; akin to Middle High German strīfe stripe

Noun (2)

Middle English, band or stripe on a garment, in part from stripen, verb, in part from Middle Dutch stripe

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of stripe was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near stripe

Cite this Entry

“Stripe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stripe. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

stripe

1 of 3 noun
: a stroke or blow with a rod or part of a whip

stripe

2 of 3 verb
striped ˈstrīpt How to pronounce stripe (audio) ; striping
: to make stripes on

stripe

3 of 3 noun
1
: a line or long narrow section differing in color or appearance from the background
2
: a piece of braid (as on the sleeve) to indicate military rank or length of service
stripeless adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on stripe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!