I. ˈbanə(r) noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English baner, banere, from Old French banere, baniere, from ban- (modification — influenced by Old French ban proclamation, summons — of an assumed word in some Germanic language akin to Gothic bandwa, bandwo sign) + -ere, -iere (from Latin -aria -ary); akin to Old Norse benda to give a sign and probably to Greek phainein to show — more at fancy , ban
1.
a. : a piece of cloth attached by one edge to a staff and used by a monarch, feudal lord, knight, or other commander as his standard which served as a rallying point for his men in battle
b. : flag 1 — used especially in literary context or for emotional effect
c. : a quadrangular piece of cloth bearing armorial ensigns (as of an individual)
d.
(1) : an ensign displaying some distinctive or symbolic device, motto, or legend ; especially : one used as the emblem of a guild, fraternity, club, or other organization or presented as an award of honor or distinction
(2) : such an ensign extended on a crosspiece, in a frame, or between poles
2. : standard 16a
3.
a. : any of the primary divisions of the Manchu army, each having its distinctive banner
b. : a military subdivision of Mongolian tribes
4. : a headline in large type running across an entire newspaper page usually the first page
5. : the actuated part of a disk or wigwag signal on a railroad
6. : a strip of cloth on which a sign is painted
welcoming banners stretched across the street
political banners
sideshow banners — the pictorials that describe the freaks and the wonders on the midways — Emmett Kelly
Synonyms: see flag
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1. : to furnish with a banner
2. : to give extreme prominence to ; especially : to print (a news story) under a banner usually on the front page
III. adjective
: distinguished from all others especially in excellence : outstanding
a banner year for business
a banner student
a bureau that has done banner work in drawing up scientific recipes — Consumers' Guide