top hat

noun

: a tall-crowned hat usually of beaver or silk

Examples of top hat in a Sentence

He wore a top hat and tails.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Zweig ended up donating a vast collection to us, including that John Lennon piano, Jimi Hendrix’s Marshall amplifier and one of his effects pedals, and some wardrobe from Madonna, and the top hat worn by Elton John on the cover of his album A Single Man, among others. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2025 Jessa Barniol, 38, a graphic designer and history buff who works as a tour guide at the Sacramento History Museum in Old Sacramento, had a faux dragon perched on her shoulder like a parrot and wore a top hat festooned with a pair of goggles. Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 28 Sep. 2025 Meanwhile, Gregg Donovan, who donned a black top hat and red blazer, carried a laminated sign welcoming Kimmel back. Sarah Whitten,gabriel Cortés, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2025 Its ceilings are gilded in 24-karat gold and the doormen wear white top hats. Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for top hat

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of top hat was in 1864

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Top hat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/top%20hat. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

top hat

noun
: a man's hat with a tall crown

More from Merriam-Webster on top hat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!