pillbox

noun

pill·​box ˈpil-ˌbäks 

1

: a box for pills

especially : a shallow round box of pasteboard

2

: a small low concrete emplacement for machine guns and antitank weapons

3

: a small round hat without a brim

specifically : a woman's shallow hat with a flat crown and straight sides

Examples of pillbox in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Hanlons — including wife Charlotte (Taylour Paige), a civil rights activist in a Jackie Kennedy pillbox hat, and son Will (Blake Cameron James) — are Black (as are Ronnie and her father, seemingly accounting for 100% of Derry’s in-town African American population). —Robert Lloyd, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025

Now, spots of all kinds leave their mark, from smaller accessories like wool pillbox hats, to more statement pieces like knee-high boots. —Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2025

The pillbox and sculpted brim styles — especially as seen at Dior — bring such a sense of presence and poise to any ensemble. —Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025

The chili was oversalted and oddly smooth, with a slab of nonmelting cheese sitting on top of it like a pillbox hat. —Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1702, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pillbox

• botox
• checkbox
• comox
• cornstalks
• cowpox
• crosswalks
• deadlocks
• detox
• feedstocks
• firebox
• gearbox
• hemlocks

Kids Definition

pillbox

noun

pill·​box ˈpil-ˌbäks 

1

: a small usually shallow box for pills

2

: a small low fortification for machine guns and antitank weapons

3

: a small round hat without a brim