bonnet

1 of 2

noun

bon·​net ˈbä-nət How to pronounce bonnet (audio)
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 sense 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)

bonnet

2 of 2

verb

bonneted; bonneting; bonnets

transitive verb

: to provide with or dress in a bonnet

Examples of bonnet in a Sentence

Noun He lifted the car's bonnet to check the engine.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Examining the images, an expert identified the mushroom as a common bonnet, a type of fungus that mostly grows on rotting wood. Katie Hunt, CNN, 2 Mar. 2024 On Wednesday, the tennis legend, 42, posted an Instagram Story of her sporting a fresh makeup-free face with a hair bonnet and a few circles of spot removal cream. Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 Guests were to accessorize with either a baby bonnet or a pacifier. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024 Scotch bonnet, thyme, allspice, scallions—these are the building blocks of Jamaican cuisine, whether in a rub for jerk chicken or in the juicy filling for beef patties. Saveur Editors, Saveur, 14 Feb. 2024 The side air intakes are reminiscent of the Batur’s two-tone front grill, while the tail takes styling cues from the rear of the car and the tank recalls the ribs on the vehicle’s front bonnet. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2023 More recently, the 2021 Emmys produced striking style moments too, such as Michaela Coel in her neon-bright Christopher John Rogers column dress, and Emma Corrin in their pale yellow Miu Miu look complete with opera gloves and, of all things, bonnet. Vogue, 15 Jan. 2024 Her characters, dressed in waistcoats and bonnets, were rendered with meticulous attention to anatomical detail, an outgrowth of Potter’s long interest in natural science. Jess Bidgood, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2024 The base vehicle is a Mercedes-Benz 560 SEL, but a Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman bonnet was swapped in. Sean Evans, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2024
Verb
They are silhouetted in a forest, bonneted, wind-blown and sun-kissed. The Salt Lake Tribune, 10 Sep. 2023 Down Under mystery up in the air and its blond-bonneted, Renoir-ish women lost among the venomous snakes, poisonous ants and whatever dreadful fate might befall one in feral Australia. John Anderson, WSJ, 24 May 2018 Chris Murray with the Scotch Bonnets The L.A.-based ska and reggae singer performs. Carrie Donovan, Washington Post, 26 July 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bonnet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1619, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bonnet was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near bonnet

Cite this Entry

“Bonnet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bonnet. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bonnet

noun
bon·​net
ˈbän-ət
1
: a child's or woman's hat tied under the chin by ribbons or strings
2
: a soft woolen cap worn in Scotland

Biographical Definition

Bonnet

biographical name

Bon·​net bȯ-ˈnā How to pronounce Bonnet (audio)
Georges-Étienne 1889–1973 French politician and diplomat
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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