I. ˈba-nər noun
Etymology: Middle English banere, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Gothic bandwo sign; probably akin to Greek phainein to show — more at fancy
Date: 13th century
1.
a. : a piece of cloth attached by one edge to a staff and used by a leader (as a monarch or feudal lord) as his standard
b. : flag II,1
c. : an ensign displaying a distinctive or symbolic device or legend ; especially : one presented as an award of honor or distinction
2. : a headline in large type running across a newspaper page
3. : a strip of cloth on which a sign is painted
welcome banner s 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. : an advertisement graphic that runs usually across the top of a World Wide Web page
II. adjective
Date: 1840
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
III. transitive verb
Date: 1889
1. : to furnish with a banner
2. : to print (as a news story) under a banner usually on the front page