hat trick

noun

: the scoring of three goals in one game (as of hockey or soccer) by a single player

: the dismissing (see dismiss sense 4) of three batsmen with three consecutive balls by a bowler in cricket

: a series of three victories, successes, or related accomplishments

scored a hat trick when her three best steers corralled top honors—

People

Did you know?

It may surprise some people to learn that the term "hat trick" as it relates to sports actually originated in British cricket. A bowler who retired three batsmen with three consecutive balls was entitled to a new hat at the expense of the club to commemorate this feat. Eventually, the phrase was applied to a single player scoring three goals in any goal sport and later to three victories or successes in sports as different as horse racing and golf. The phrase finally broadened to include a string of three important successes or achievements in any field.

Examples of hat trick in a Sentence

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.

Behind a hat trick from senior Chris Adadjo, Tolland finally broke through and advanced to the Class M championship game with a 3-0 win over Stonington. —

Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 14 Nov. 2024 After a shaky 20-25 minute spell, however, captain Raphinha and Lewandowski both netted ahead of the Brazilian completing his own hat trick and taking home the MVP award in an eventual 4-1 riot. —

Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024 Banda has now scored three hat tricks across two Olympic Games, yet with no wins for her team. —

Steph Yang, The Athletic, 28 July 2024 Montreal’s Jean Beliveau scores the second fastest hat trick in NHL history in a 4-2 win over Boston. —

Iliana Limón Romero, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hat trick