bandolier

noun

ban·​do·​lier ˌban-də-ˈlir How to pronounce bandolier (audio)
variants or bandoleer
: a belt worn over the shoulder and across the breast often for the suspending or supporting of some article (such as cartridges) or as a part of an official or ceremonial dress

Examples of bandolier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
From Scottsdale, Arizona, to Birmingham in Michigan and Birmingham in Alabama, women are wearing jewels on satin cords, bindings of silk and braid, doing sashes bandolier style. Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 14 Sep. 2024 Today, members of the Sac and Fox Nation travel to the museum to experience their culture firsthand, embodied by the intricate, vibrant beadwork that adorns the bandolier bag. Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024 Clad in all black and sporting a bandolier of bullets, Beyoncé’s show was a clear ode to the Black Panthers and called attention to the Black Lives Matter movement. Scottie Andrew, CNN, 14 May 2023 One was in Baldwin’s bandolier. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 28 Apr. 2022 Decked out for war by costume designer Linda Cho, Wong carries face mask-shooting guns and wears a bandolier of thread spools, a giant pair of scissors strapped kitana-style to her back and pincushion armbands. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2022 Outfitted in his 10-gallon leather hat and a bandolier holding his brushes, Marquez painted for more than a month as Ukrainian military foot patrols passed by daily on their rounds. Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2022 The mark of a Bandito is a secret numbered tattoo: a skeleton wearing a thick mustache, a bandolier, and a sombrero, and brandishing a smoking gun. The New Yorker, 30 May 2022 One pending case was brought by eight deputies who allege they were routinely harassed by the Banditos, who have matching tattoos of a skeleton outfitted with a sombrero, bandolier and pistol. Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2022

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French bandouliere, probably borrowed from Catalan bandolera, feminine noun derivative from bandoler "highwayman, bandit" (presumably from the use of such belts as a prop for a highwayman's firearm), earlier, "supporter, partisan," from bàndol, variant (with parasitic l) of bando "faction, party" (borrowed from Spanish, probably going back to Late Latin bandum "flag, standard") + -er, going back to Latin -ārius -er entry 2 — more at band entry 3

First Known Use

circa 1577, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bandolier was circa 1577

Dictionary Entries Near bandolier

Cite this Entry

“Bandolier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bandolier. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

bandolier

noun
ban·​do·​lier
variants or bandoleer
: a belt worn over the shoulder and across the body along the length of which items (as cartridges) may be carried in loops or pouches

More from Merriam-Webster on bandolier

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!