beret
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of beret
1820–30; < French < Gascon berret, OPr. ber ( r ) et. See biretta
Explanation
A beret is a round, soft hat. Berets were first made in 17th-century France, and they're still commonly associated with that country. If you enjoy French culture, you might don a beret while eating baguettes with brie. We can trace the origin of beret back to the Late Latin birrus, "large, hooded cloak," and since the word itself is French, the t is silent — beret rhymes with tray. From the time they were invented, berets have been casual, fashionable caps most often made of wool or felt. The armies of several countries, including Italy and the U.S. Special Forces, also wear berets as part of their uniform.
Vocabulary lists containing beret
Put a Lid On It: Hats, Hoods, and Other Headgear
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English Words Derived from French, List 7
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A Good Kind of Trouble
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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.
The Queen wore a red Grenadier Guards uniform dress designed by Fiona Clarke with a black beret with a white plume and a Grenadier Guards cap badge designed by Phillip Treacy.
From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026
Indeed he was, as evident by the jaunty white beret he’d worn for the occasion, which quickly went viral on social media.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
Cannes had kept the award under wraps until the actor walked on stage for the premiere wearing a black suit and a white beret.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
Karl wears the maroon beret and "wings" of the Parachute Regiment.
From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025
He wore a handsome beret on top, and peering intently from one of his several surfaces was a very serious face.
From "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster
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.
