rubber band

noun

1. a narrow, circular or oblong band of rubber, used for holding things together, as papers or a box and its lid.

rubber band

noun

1. Also called: elastic band. a continuous loop of thin rubber, used to hold papers, etc, together

Word History and Origins

Origin of rubber band¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Also references to knife fights and Democrats showing up with pencils, rubber bands, butter knives and other wimpy implements.

From Los Angeles Times

Pair the glossy burgundy bezel ring with a brushed bronze mesh bracelet or black rubber band.

From Los Angeles Times

Cormorant’s bill is held by rubber band during bath to remove oil after the Santa Barbara oil spill.

From Los Angeles Times

Practically overnight, I had to adjust to how my new glasses slid down my nose and the way the elastics tethered to my braces snapped like rubber bands in a junk drawer.

From Salon

He said the cord "stretched like a rubber band" and he heard "a massive almighty bang, like a shotgun, then Chris's umbilical goes limp".

From BBC

When To Use

What else does rubber band mean?

The handy, dandy rubber band, useful for flinging at people and holding together important things, like stacks of cash money, as rubber bands refer to in hip-hop slang.Rubber bands also come up in fashion contexts, from bracelets and hairstyles, and a common complaint for those who have to use special ones for orthodontic braces.