beanie
Americannoun
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a close-fitting knit cap worn in cold weather.
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a small cap, brimless or with a short bill, often brightly colored, constructed of triangular pieces of cloth joined at the top by a button and popularized in the early 20th century as worn by college freshmen.
noun
Etymology
Origin of beanie
Compare meaning
How does beanie compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A beanie is a small, round, brimless hat. It was fashionable for boys to wear beanies in the first half of the 20th century. Traditionally, a beanie was a flat, close-fitting hat without a brim, sometimes also called a skullcap. In the early 1900s, adult workers and young men commonly wore beanies, which eventually evolved into today's baseball cap. The hat was probably named beanie after the bean-sized, cloth-covered button in the center of the cap. In the UK, a beanie is simply a knitted stocking cap.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sporting black sunglasses and a trademark beanie, the 27-year-old identifies as a queer artist, highlighting the need for expression and acceptance throughout his music.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
As we’re talking to Ogwumike, Sania Feagin slips by in a multicolored knit beanie, smile unmissable, holding a bouquet of Mother’s Day flowers from one of the league’s social media managers.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
Good has become a genuine martyr, inspiring people and making them realize that they can make a significant contribution with the power of a camera phone and a red beanie cap.
From Salon • Jan. 14, 2026
The videos show a light-skinned man wearing dark clothing, a medical mask, beanie, and at times gloves and a cross-body bag.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025
Sweaty strands of my hair are stuck to my lips, my face; I can feel them sticking out at odd angles from beneath my pink beanie.
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
