hat

1 of 2

noun

ˈhat 

1

: a covering for the head usually having a shaped crown and brim

2

a

: a distinctive head covering worn as a symbol of office

b

: an office, position, or role assumed by or as if by the wearing of a special hat

wore many hats in her career

hatless

ˈhat-ləs 

adjective

hat

2 of 2

verb

hatted; hatting

transitive verb

: to furnish or provide with a hat

intransitive verb

: to make or supply hats

Phrases

under one's hat

: not disclosed

kept the news under his hat

Synonyms

Noun

• cap
• chapeau
• headdress
• headgear
• headpiece
• lid [slang]

Examples of hat in a Sentence

Noun

in those days, no properly dressed person left home without a hat

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Each hat has a pin with specific meaning to a team. —Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2025

The singer also put a twist on Anderson's 1999 MTV Video Music Awards outfit that consisted of a pink fuzzy hat and white, waist-cinching corset top. —Starr Bowenbank, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025

Fans can also pick up their favorite teams' official 2025 NFL Draft hats that the players will be rocking on stage now, as well as the No. 1 picks' jerseys as soon as they are selected on Fanatics! —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025

He was described as White, with a thin build, over 6 feet tall and wearing a straw hat, a blue Hawaiian-style shirt printed with white flowers, along with dark jeans, black shoes with white soles and a white T-shirt wrapped around his face, according to the Police Department. —City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English hæt; akin to Old High German huot head covering — more at hood entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing hat

• at the drop of a hat
• black hat
• brass hat
• bucket hat
• coat-check/hat-check girl
• cocked hat
• cowboy hat
• doff one's hat to
• flat-hat
• hang one's hat
• hang one's hat on
• hard hat
• hat in hand
• hat trick
• high hat
• hi-hat
• I'll eat my hat
• into a cocked hat
• keep (something) under one's hat
• old hat
• opera hat
• panama hat
• pass the hat
• picture hat
• plug hat
• porkpie hat
• pot hat
• shovel hat
• silk hat
• slouch hat
• straw hat
• sun hat
• take one's hat off to
• talk through one's hat
• ten-gallon hat
• throw/toss one's hat in/into the ring
• tin hat
• tip one's cap/hat
• top hat
• trucker hat
• white hat

Rhymes for hat

• at
• bat
• batt
• brat
• cat
• chat
• fat
• flat
• gat
• gnat
• kat
• mat

Kids Definition

hat

noun

ˈhat

1

: a covering for the head usually having a shaped crown and brim

2

a

: a distinctive head covering worn as a symbol of office

b

: an office, position, or role assumed as if by the wearing of a special hat

wears many hats in her job