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

Each came nattily dressed in the fashions of the early 19th century; one, at least, was wearing a bonnet.

— d.j. taylor, WSJ, "A Jane for Every Reader," 7 July 2017
But while the pioneer town might have a new shine, never fear, in De Smet, bonnets never go out of style.

— lauren johnson and jesse sparks, Smithsonian, "The 20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2017," 2 May 2017
The collection wound up incorporating not just bonnets but also lingerie styling and power suiting, making a statement about freedom and control.

— christine whitney, The Cut, "Vera Wang on Roses, Instagram, and What Brides Want," 10 Oct. 2017
As is tradition, Owens herself leads the way as the procession's grand duchess, decked out in full Easter finery, including a reliably elaborate bonnet.

— mike scott, NOLA.com, "1956: Chris Owens becomes a French Quarter sensation," 5 Nov. 2017
Little Lea, who was reportedly born at the end of March, was most boldly dressed for the occasion in a striped onesie and white baby bonnet.

— erica gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Bradley Cooper, Irina Shayk, and Their Baby Girl Just Went Pumpkin Picking Together," 20 Oct. 2017
Proudly sitting on the bonnet of his new motor, the Foxes ace gave his fans a peek at his flashy new purchase.

— SI.com, "Leicester City Defender Danny Simpson Takes to Instagram to Show Off New £400k Lamborghini," 14 Oct. 2017
Her spring 2018 ready-to-wear collection was inspired by Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and included view-restricting bonnets like the ones in the story.

— christine whitney, The Cut, "Vera Wang on Roses, Instagram, and What Brides Want," 10 Oct. 2017
Nothing beats the Lance Allworth-Chargers and Joe Namath-era Jets war bonnets.

— chris solari, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan State mailbag: On Spartans' defense against Irish, hoops recruiting and helmets," 15 Sep. 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

in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

See Words from the same year