Plural of hanky; short for handkerchiefs, small pieces of cloth used for wiping the face or nose.
From 'hanky,' an informal shortening of 'handkerchief' (hand + kerchief); plural formed by changing y to i and adding -es.
The informal word 'hanky' shows how English creates cute diminutives—'hanky-panky' for trickery borrows the playful sound, proving diminutives can shift meaning entirely.
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