A handkerchief is a small square piece of cloth, usually made of cotton or linen, that people carry in their pockets or purses. People use handkerchiefs to wipe their noses, dry their eyes, or dab sweat from their foreheads.

Before disposable tissues became common in the 1920s, nearly everyone carried a handkerchief. Your great-grandparents probably had dozens of them, some plain for everyday use and others embroidered with initials or decorative patterns for special occasions. People would wash and iron their handkerchiefs to use them again and again.

Today, many people use paper tissues instead, but handkerchiefs haven't disappeared. Some people prefer them because they're reusable and feel softer than paper. Magicians famously use silk handkerchiefs in their tricks, pulling them from hats or making them disappear. In old-fashioned etiquette, dropping a handkerchief was sometimes a way to get someone's attention.