panhandle

1 of 2

noun

pan·​han·​dle ˈpan-ˌhan-dᵊl How to pronounce panhandle (audio)
: a narrow projection of a larger territory (such as a state)
the Oklahoma Panhandle

panhandle

2 of 2

verb

panhandled; panhandling ˈpan-ˌhan(d)-liŋ How to pronounce panhandle (audio)
-ˌhan-dᵊl-iŋ

intransitive verb

: to stop people on the street and ask for food or money : beg

transitive verb

1
: to accost on the street and beg from
2
: to get by panhandling
panhandler
ˈpan-ˌhan(d)-lər How to pronounce panhandle (audio)
-ˌhan-dᵊl-ər
noun

Examples of panhandle in a Sentence

Noun The Texas Panhandle is the northernmost part of the state. Verb He panhandled for his bus fare. There is a law against panhandling in the subway.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
How to visit This park, in the Oklahoma panhandle, is midway between Wichita, Kansas, and Oklahoma City—each about 150 miles away, a two-and-a-half-hour drive. Pat Tompkins, AFAR Media, 4 Apr. 2025 On the night of Sept. 11, 1998, in the panhandle town of Crestview, Hutchinson had an argument with his girlfriend, Renee Flaherty, and left to go to a bar, court records show. Curt Anderson, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
Areas with the greatest chance of seeing landfall from a major hurricane include the Gulf Coast, from the Florida panhandle west to Brownsville, Texas. Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025 Explore Destin Seagrove, Florida The 24-mile stretch of Florida panhandle coastline along Scenic Highway 30A has been picking up steam as a top vacation destination for travelers from the South and beyond. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 30 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for panhandle

Word History

Etymology

Verb

back-formation from panhandler, probably from panhandle, noun; from the extended forearm

First Known Use

Noun

1846, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1890, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of panhandle was in 1846

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Panhandle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panhandle. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

panhandle

1 of 2 noun
pan·​han·​dle ˈpan-ˌhan-dᵊl How to pronounce panhandle (audio)
: a narrow strip of territory that extends from a larger territory (as a state)
the Texas Panhandle

panhandle

2 of 2 verb
panhandled; panhandling
-ˌhan-(d)liŋ,
-dᵊl-iŋ
: to beg for money on the street
panhandler
-(d)lər How to pronounce panhandle (audio)
-dᵊl-ər
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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