hanky

han·ki
H4A1N1K5Y4
/ˈhæŋki/[ˈhæŋkʰɪi̯]Canada, US/ˈheɪ̯ŋki/Canada, US[ˈheɪ̯ŋkʰɪi̯]

A form of handkerchief — A piece of cloth, usually square and often fine and elegant, carried for wiping the face, eyes, nose or hands.

Similar
handkerchiefhankiehankey
Less commonScrabble 15
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Meanings

nounhanky (plural hankies)

plural hankies · alternative uncommon hankie

  1. colloquialdiminutiveDiminutive of handkerchief.

    I saw the Lone Ranger get shot in the heart and shove a hanky in the hole before stopping a train from falling off a bridge.

    1995, Paul Vautin, Turn It Up!, Sydney: Pan Macmillan Australia, page 128
    1 more example

    Catrin: / Have you got a tissue or something? Scott: Got a hanky. Under his lab coat, he’s wearing a suit jacket, and in the pocket, a white handkerchief.

    2010, Gary Owen, Love Steals Us from Loneliness, London: Bloomsbury Publishing, →DOI, →ISBN, page 13

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna square piece of cloth used for wiping the eyes or nose or as a costume accessory

Similar
handkerchiefhankiehankey
Broader
piece of clothpiece of material
Also see
handkerchiefhankey

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with hanky

frankiecrankyswankyspankyskankyblankieHankeybankymankyjankybankieclankydankieplankyprankystankytankythankee
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

hanky. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hanky

MLA

“hanky.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hanky. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hanky,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hanky.

Source: hanky on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.