an award for winning a championship or commemorating some other event
"The gymnast proudly displayed her gold ribbon after winning the regional championship."
a long strip of inked material for making characters on paper with a typewriter
"The old typewriter ran out of ribbon, leaving the printed letters faint and barely visible."
notion consisting of a narrow strip of fine material used for trimming
"She carefully attached a delicate ribbon to the edge of her wedding dress."
A long, narrow strip of material used for decoration of clothing or the hair or gift wrapping.
"She tied a bright red ribbon around her daughter's hair to match her party dress."
In plain English: A ribbon is a long, thin strip of fabric that often has edges folded over and can be used for tying things or decorating gifts.
"She tied a red ribbon to her hair for the party."
Usage: Use "ribbon" to describe any decorative strip made from fabric, paper, or plastic that is typically flat and wide enough to be tied into a bow. This word specifically refers to the physical object itself rather than its function as an award or prize category.
To decorate with ribbon.
"She tied a bright red bow and used ribbon to decorate the gift box."
The word "ribbon" comes from the Old French riban or ruban, which entered English via Middle English. Its origin is uncertain, but it likely derives from a Germanic compound meaning something like "ring-band."