A small square piece of cloth used for wiping your nose or face, short for handkerchief.
Shortened form of 'handkerchief,' which comes from Middle Dutch 'hant' (hand) and Old French 'chief' (chief/head). The abbreviation 'hankie' became popular in the early 20th century as casual, everyday speech.
The term 'hankie' shows how language gets lazier and friendlier over time—formal 'handkerchief' became the cute, shorter 'hankie' when people used it constantly in daily life. It's the same pattern that turned 'photograph' into 'photo' and 'advertisement' into 'ad.'
The diminutive 'hankie' reflects early 20th-century gendering of handkerchiefs as delicate, feminine accessories, contrasted with men's utilitarian pocket squares. The softness/femininity association persists in language.
Use 'handkerchief' or 'tissue' for neutral reference; 'hankie' is acceptable in nostalgic or informal contexts without apologizing for gendered connotation.
["handkerchief","tissue","cloth"]
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.