hat

1 of 2

noun

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 adjective

hat

2 of 2

verb

hatted; hatting

transitive verb

: to furnish or provide with a hat

intransitive verb

: to make or supply hats
Phrases
under one's hat
: not disclosed
kept the news under his hat

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
What started as a Tumblr page selling hats and T-shirts to a cult following has grown into a forward-thinking brand that never forgets its mission to put community first. Andrew Nguyen, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2023 For team hats, shirts or other gear: Visit Fanatics, Lids, Champs Sports, Dick’s Sporting Goods and New Era. Jonathan X. Simmons, cleveland, 10 Sep. 2023 The swoop of a spectator’s wide-brimmed hat reflects light by the practice courts with the same intensity of a young fan’s jumbo, neon green tennis ball awaiting an autograph. Karsten Moran, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2023 Comparing the week of Aug. 14 to Aug. 21, Etsy reported a 25% increase in searches for disco hats and a 25% increase in searches for silver blouses, corsets, or tops. Ramishah Maruf, CNN, 9 Sep. 2023 From candles made in nearby Beaufort to mugs, hats, cookbooks, and snacks for the road, Bluffton General Store has a variety of keepsakes and grab-and-go items to browse and buy. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2023 One good Samaritan with a rainbow parasol hat carried a shovel to the porta-potties and started to clean out the mud. Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2023 During the first of six concerts at Inglewood's SoFi Stadium, Swift gifted her hat to Bianka Bryant, the daughter of late basketball star Kobe Bryant. Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2023 The drink fittingly includes poblano liqueur as a nod to the dish served, salt colored with volcanic ash referring to the conflagration, and a wafer of artisanal chocolate as a garnish and tip of the hat to the title. Hugh Garvey, Sunset Magazine, 31 Aug. 2023
Verb
Another user posted a photo of what looked like a Winnipeg Jets hat with the logo upside down, as well as a Connor Bedard jersey with the name misspelled. Richard Morin, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2023 Another user posted a photo of what looked like a Winnipeg Jets hat with the logo upside down, as well as a Connor Bedard jersey with the name misspelled. Richard Morin, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2023 Matthew Gardner said his brother-in-law had spotted a familiar face, dressed casually in jeans with a Big Issue best and hat on. Simon Perry, PEOPLE.com, 9 June 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hat.' 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, 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

Time Traveler
The first known use of hat was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near hat

Cite this Entry

“Hat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hat. Accessed 24 Sep. 2023.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on hat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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