nightcap

noun

night·​cap ˈnīt-ˌkap 

1

: a cloth cap worn with nightclothes

2

: a usually alcoholic drink taken at the end of the day

3

: the final race or contest of a day's sports

especially : the second game of a baseball doubleheader

Examples of nightcap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some things have held steady across the past two decades — Sunday is the all-day affair with afternoon slots and a nightcap; Monday and Thursday have standalone games. —Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025

Tucked below you’ll find Barlume Downstairs, a sexy cocktail hideaway that can turn a regular Tuesday into a fun nightcap with friends. —Rana Good, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025

The Chicago White Sox wore shorts in the first game of a doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals, but refused to wear them for the nightcap. —Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2025

Following a set break, the musicians would return to the stage and try to make up for the rather weak first half with a more robust nightcap. —Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for nightcap

• bandgap
• bitmap
• blackcap
• blackstrap
• bootstrap
• burlap
• claptrap
• entrap
• foolscap
• kidnap
• kneecap
• madcap

Kids Definition

nightcap

noun

night·​cap ˈnīt-ˌkap 

1

: a cap worn with nightclothes

2

: a drink taken at bedtime

3

: the final race or contest of a day's sports activities