bonnet

noun bon·net \ ˈbä-nət \

Definition of bonnet

1 a (1) chiefly Scotland :a man's or boy's cap

(2) :a brimless Scottish cap of seamless woolen fabric — compare tam-o'-shanter 2

b :a cloth or straw hat tied under the chin and worn by women and children

2 a British :an automobile hood

b :a metal covering or cowl (as for a fireplace, valve chamber, or ventilator)

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Examples of bonnet in a Sentence

He lifted the car's bonnet to check the engine.

Recent Examples of bonnet from the Web

Every spring, the street is the site of Easter on Parade, a festival where residents stroll dressed up in bright Easter bonnets.

— jaweed kaleem, latimes.com, "In the former capital of the Confederacy, the debate over the city's famed Civil War monuments is heating up," 18 Aug. 2017
The handmaid’s uniform — crimson robes and white bonnets — has become a symbol of oppression at women’s rights protests.

— kathryn shattuck, New York Times, "Elisabeth Moss on Her Emmy Nomination and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’," 13 Aug. 2017
In an effort to bring that salon cachet into the home, the bonnet hair dryer debuted in 1951.

— maria teresa hart, The Atlantic, "The Hair Dryer, Freedom’s Appliance," 1 Aug. 2017
A lace bonnet keeps her dark curls in place, save for a few neat strands that frame her face.

— The Economist, "Fame and favourabilityJane Austen, 200 years on," 13 July 2017
The film’s director, William Oldroyd, also broke with bonnet drama tradition by casting black and minority actors in crucial roles.

— cara buckley, New York Times, "‘Lady Macbeth’ Kills the Bonnet Drama, and a Few Other Things, Too," 13 July 2017
In his tweets, Rawal, who is also a Member of Parliament, said that Roy should be tied to the bonnet of an Army jeep as a human shield to protect the armed forces in Kashmir.

— neha sharma, New Republic, "Arundhati Roy Has Reinvented the Social Novel," 27 June 2017
Models showed a variety of vintage hats, ranging from pioneer bonnets to floral fantasies of the 1950s.

— pioneer press, chicagotribune.com, "Niles tea spotlights historic hats," 20 June 2017
Photographs show spectacular Indian apparel — eagle-feather war bonnets, quillwork and beaded breastplates, an animal tooth necklace, dozens of beaded moccasins, pipes and pipe bags and knife pouches.

— sandra dallas, The Denver Post, "Regional books: “Lakota Performers in Europe”," 15 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bonnet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of bonnet

Middle English bonet auxiliary sail, kind of cap, from Anglo-French, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old Saxon gibund bundle, Old English bindan to bind

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

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