bonnet

1 of 2

noun

bon·​net ˈbä-nət How to pronounce bonnet (audio)
1
a(1)
chiefly Scotland : a man's or boy's cap
(2)
: a brimless Scottish cap of seamless woolen fabric compare tam o' shanter sense 2
b
: a cloth or straw hat tied under the chin and worn by women and children
2
a
British : an automobile hood
b
: a metal covering or cowl (as for a fireplace, valve chamber, or ventilator)

bonnet

2 of 2

verb

bonneted; bonneting; bonnets

transitive verb

: to provide with or dress in a bonnet

Examples of bonnet in a Sentence

Noun He lifted the car's bonnet to check the engine.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
But the same bees do buzz around her bonnet, over and over. Sloane Crosley, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024 Police say she was last seen wearing a hospital gown, a pink bonnet, orange jogging pants and rainbow Crocs sandals. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
They are silhouetted in a forest, bonneted, wind-blown and sun-kissed. The Salt Lake Tribune, 10 Sep. 2023 Down Under mystery up in the air and its blond-bonneted, Renoir-ish women lost among the venomous snakes, poisonous ants and whatever dreadful fate might befall one in feral Australia. John Anderson, WSJ, 24 May 2018 See all Example Sentences for bonnet 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bonet auxiliary sail, kind of cap, from Anglo-French, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old Saxon gibund bundle, Old English bindan to bind

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1619, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bonnet was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near bonnet

Cite this Entry

“Bonnet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bonnet. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

bonnet

noun
bon·​net
ˈbän-ət
1
: a child's or woman's hat tied under the chin by ribbons or strings
2
: a soft woolen cap worn in Scotland

Biographical Definition

Bonnet

biographical name

Bon·​net bȯ-ˈnā How to pronounce Bonnet (audio)
Georges-Étienne 1889–1973 French politician and diplomat
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!