hood

noun

ˈhu̇d 

plural hoods

1

a(1)

: a flexible covering for the head and neck

(2)

: a protective covering for the head and face

b

: a covering for a hawk's head and eyes

c

: a covering for a horse's head

also : blinder

2

a

: an ornamental scarf worn over an academic gown that indicates by its color the wearer's college or university

b

: a color marking or crest on the head of an animal or an expansion of the head that suggests a hood

3

a

: something resembling a hood in form or use

b

: a cover for parts of mechanisms

specifically : the movable metal covering over the engine of an automobile

c

chiefly British : a top cover over the passenger section of a vehicle usually designed to be folded back

d

: an enclosure or canopy provided with a draft for carrying off fumes, sprays, smokes, or dusts

e

: a covering for an opening (such as a companion hatch) on a boat

hood transitive verb

hoodlike

ˈhu̇d-ˌlīk 

adjective

Synonyms of hood

• cloak
• veil
• shroud
• wraps
• blanket
• robe
• curtain

Examples of hood in a Sentence

counterfeiters conducting their affairs under a hood of secrecy

Recent Examples on the Web

Truck traditionalists, however, will not settle for less than eight cylinders under the hood, Kuniskis said, and customers often tell him that a compact truck can't get them to their work site or reliably tow their boats or trailers. —Morgan Korn, ABC News, 7 June 2026

This Seattle kitchen goes from dark to light with a black hood, tile backsplash, and white cabinetry. —Lauren Jones, The Spruce, 6 June 2026

Buttons require holes, a hood must be attached to the back of a garment, a zipper worked into a seam or hidden amongst pleats requires more pattern making and construction time. —Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026

That's evident in aerodynamic features like the front side spoilers, five-position adjustable rear wing, hood duct, and fender ducts. —Utkarsh Sood june 06, New Atlas, 6 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English hōd; akin to Old High German huot head covering, huota guard

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing hood

• hood ornament

Rhymes for hood

• could
• good
• should
• stood
• would
• adulthood
• babyhood
• brotherhood
• cottonwood
• fatherhood
• firewood
• allgood

Kids Definition

hood

1 of 3 noun

ˈhu̇d 

1

: a soft covering for the head and neck often attached to a coat or cape

2

: a marking, crest, or fold on the head of an animal

3

a

: something resembling a hood in form or use

b

: a cover for parts of mechanisms

especially : the movable metal covering over the engine of an automobile

c

: an enclosure provided with a draft for carrying off disagreeable or harmful fumes, sprays, or dust

hooded

-əd

adjective

hoodlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective

hood

2 of 3 noun

ˈhu̇d  ˈhüd 

informal

: hoodlum

-hood

3 of 3 noun suffix

ˌhu̇d

1

: state : condition : quality

hardihood

2

: time : period

childhood

3

: instance of a state or quality

falsehood

4

: individuals sharing a state or character

brotherhood

Etymology

Old English hād "condition, quality"