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

In January, a tourist on the Argentine side of the falls reportedly crossed protective barriers near the Devil's Throat viewpoint to retrieve a hat that had blown away. —Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2026

Michael Olise, who scored a hat-trick in France’s latest friendly against Northern Ireland, only just missed the top-five list, coming in at number seven. —Ethan Douglas, New York Times, 10 June 2026

Verb

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

Loop initiates Wex as buy Loop said in its initiation of Wex t hat the fin tech company is firing on all cylinders. —Michael Bloom, CNBC, 28 Apr. 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