A long, narrow band of color that is different from the area next to it.
Probably from Middle English “strype,” related to “stripe” meaning a blow or stroke, as in marks left by whipping. Over time it came to mean any long, narrow mark.
Zebras’ stripes aren’t just decoration—they confuse predators and even help with temperature control. When we say someone has ‘earned their stripes,’ we’re picturing visible marks of experience and rank.
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