A sash is a long strip of fabric worn around the waist or across the body from shoulder to hip, often as part of a ceremonial outfit or traditional costume. A karate student earning a new belt rank might tie a colored sash around her waist to show her level of skill. In formal ceremonies, military officers sometimes wear decorative sashes as part of their dress uniforms.

Sashes add formality and distinction to an outfit. A girl wearing a special dress for a cultural celebration might tie a sash around their waist as the finishing touch. Boy Scouts earning merit badges might display them on a sash worn over their uniform. Throughout history, sashes have marked important achievements, positions of authority, or membership in special groups.

The word also refers to the movable frames that hold glass panes in a window. When you open or close a sash window, you're sliding these frames up and down. Older homes often have beautiful wooden sash windows that move smoothly along tracks, though this meaning is less common in everyday conversation than the fabric kind of sash.