nightcap

noun

night·​cap ˈnīt-ˌkap 

1

: a cloth cap worn with nightclothes

2

: a usually alcoholic drink taken at the end of the day

3

: the final race or contest of a day's sports

especially : the second game of a baseball doubleheader

Examples of nightcap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ceddanne Rafaela added an RBI single for the Red Sox, who closed a 10-game homestand 8-2, including a victory on Wednesday that matched a club-record 15-game winning streak from 1946 before it was stopped in the nightcap of a split doubleheader. — ABC News, 26 July 2026

Trouble winding down before bed has more people reaching for a warm mug or a calming tea instead of a nightcap. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson july 24, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2026

Meanwhile, maybe the best rivalry in the league picks up where Game 7 of the West finals last spring left off in the nightcap. — David Aldridge, New York Times, 24 July 2026

Elegant bars like The Marquis and Five of Clubs, alongside eclectic libations at The Bearded Lady’s Jewel Box, should more than do you well for nightcaps. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nightcap

• bandgap
• bitmap
• blackcap
• blackstrap
• bootstrap
• burlap
• claptrap
• entrap
• foolscap
• kidnap
• kneecap
• madcap

Kids Definition

nightcap

noun

night·​cap ˈnīt-ˌkap 

1

: a cap worn with nightclothes

2

: a drink taken at bedtime

3

: the final race or contest of a day's sports activities