napkin ring
3
3.6
- noun
- /ˈnæpkɪn rɪŋ/
:
anillo para servilleta
- Then a slow procession to the dining room and our special places, designated by silver napkin rings with our names engraved on them.
- silver napkin rings
- gold napkin rings
- napkin ring holder
Examples
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I love the napkin rings, such nice conversation pieces.
Blog text (31) -
Do you recognize the material I used to make this bow napkin ring?
Blog text (22) -
For example, not every Fellow had a napkin ring.
Academic text (1999) -
One year, I made homemade napkin rings.
Blog text (10) -
The towel holders are especially lovely, and you know how much I love those napkin rings!
Blog text (31) -
The whole wedding will be a disaster if you don't have napkin rings!
Blog text (28) -
I was able to put the napkin rings of Balliol into larger perspective when I invited a philosopher from London to lunch at the college.
Academic text (1999) -
I made this napkin ring from bracelet memory wire you can buy in the jewelry-making section of any craft store.
Blog text (22) -
I like to DIY napkin rings from common materials like ribbon, cheap bracelets, curtain rings, beads, wire, buttons, or cardboard.
Blog text (22) -
The hostess placed a silver napkin ring by each plate to give the table an elegant look.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a small circular band used to hold and identify a napkin' is directly derivable from combining 'napkin' (table cloth for wiping) and 'ring' (a circular band) — literally a ring for a napkin. Noun+noun compounds denoting a physical object are cross-linguistically common and follow transparent composition, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Napkin ring comes from the small ring used to hold a folded napkin at the table; people slipped a napkin through the ring to keep it neat and often added initials so it could 'identify' each guest. So a napkin ring is a little band that keeps a napkin together and marks a person's place.