armbands

Noun

armband (plural armbands)

1. A band worn around the arm, usually to symbolize mourning or protest.
   • “The big change”, said Fighting Red (who was an 18 year old girl drama student; Red Guards took on new “revolutionary” names) “was when Chairman Mao had the big August 18 rally in T’ien An Men Square and said he was joining the Red Guards and let them put the arm band on him.[1980, Alan Dures, Katharine Dures, “Chapter Four 1962-1969 The Cultural Revolution”, in Mao Tse-tung, London: Batsford Academic and Educational Limited, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 38, column 2
2. A band worn around the arm of the captain of a team.
   • The biggest cheer of the night came shortly afterwards. St James’ Park finally found its voice to welcome back Jonás Gutiérrez into a Newcastle side for the first time since his diagnosis with testicular cancer 17 months ago. Hugged by his friend Coloccini, Gutiérrez was handed the captain’s...2015 March 4, Louise Taylor, “(please specify the article title)”, in The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC
3. One of a pair of inflatable plastic bands, normally worn on the upper arms, to help the wearer (often a child) float in water and learn to swim.

   Synonyms:

   armfloat, floaty, water wing