hat

1 of 2

noun

ˈhat 

1

: a covering for the head usually having a shaped crown and brim

2

a

: a distinctive head covering worn as a symbol of office

b

: an office, position, or role assumed by or as if by the wearing of a special hat

wore many hats in her career

hatless

ˈhat-ləs 

adjective

see also:

under one's hat hats off to

hat

2 of 2

verb

hatted; hatting

transitive verb

: to furnish or provide with a hat

intransitive verb

: to make or supply hats

Synonyms of hat

Noun

• cap
• helmet
• chapeau
• headdress
• hood
• headgear

Examples of hat in a Sentence

Noun

in those days, no properly dressed person left home without a hat

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Lopez proved that a straw hat is an easy way to make a statement while blocking out the sun, and Jennifer Aniston and Jennifer Garner recently put their own twists on the practical summer accessory, too. — Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026

With a surreal visual language that hat-tips everyone from Jacques Tati to Michael Haneke and the filmmaker’s longtime mentor Jia Zhangke, the film is a striking, startling class critique based on Manuel’s own Silver Bear-winning 2020 short film. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 July 2026

Verb

According to the sheriff's office, the person captured in the surveillance image was wearing a shirt and hat the homeowner identified as his own. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2026

Now is the time to enjoy this, to take the manager hat off and enjoy with them. — Art De Roché, New York Times, 24 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hæt; akin to Old High German huot head covering — more at hood entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing hat

• at the drop of a hat
• black hat
• brass hat
• bucket hat
• coat-check/hat-check girl
• cocked hat
• cowboy hat
• doff one's hat to
• flat-hat
• hang one's hat
• hang one's hat on
• hard hat
• hat in hand
• hat trick
• high-hat
• hi-hat
• I'll eat my hat
• into a cocked hat
• keep (something) under one's hat
• old hat
• opera hat
• panama hat
• pass the hat
• picture hat
• plug hat
• porkpie hat
• pot hat
• put one's tinfoil hat on
• shovel hat
• silk hat
• slouch hat
• straw-hat
• sun hat
• take one's hat off to
• talk through one's hat
• ten-gallon hat
• throw one's hat in the ring
• throw/toss one's hat in/into the ring
• tinfoil hat
• tin hat
• tip one's cap/hat
• top hat
• trucker hat
• under one's hat
• wear a tinfoil hat
• white hat

Rhymes for hat

• at
• bat
• batt
• brat
• cat
• chat
• fat
• flat
• gat
• gnat
• kat
• mat

Kids Definition

hat

noun

ˈhat

1

: a covering for the head usually having a shaped crown and brim

2

a

: a distinctive head covering worn as a symbol of office

b

: an office, position, or role assumed as if by the wearing of a special hat

wears many hats in her job