bonnet

[ bon-it ]

/ ˈbɒn ɪt /

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See synonyms for bonnet on Thesaurus.com

noun

a hat, usually tying under the chin and often framing the face, formerly much worn by women but now worn mostly by children.

Informal. any hat worn by women.

Chiefly Scot. a man's or boy's cap.

a bonnetlike headdress: an Indian war bonnet.

any of various hoods, covers, or protective devices.

a cowl, hood, or wind cap for a fireplace or chimney, to stabilize the draft.

the part of a valve casing through which the stem passes and that forms a guide and seal for the stem.

a chamber at the top of a hot-air furnace from which the leaders emerge.

Chiefly British. an automobile hood.

Nautical. a supplementary piece of canvas laced to the foot of a fore-and-aft sail, especially a jib, in light winds.

verb (used with object)

to put a bonnet on.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of bonnet

1375–1425; late Middle English bonet<Middle French; Old French bonet material from which hats are made, perhaps <Old Low Franconian *bunni something bound (<Germanic *bund-, noun derivative of *bind-bind; cf. bundle), with -et-et; compare Late Latin abonnis, obbonis ribbon forming part of a headdress <Germanic, with a prefix corresponding to Middle High German obe-above

OTHER WORDS FROM bonnet

bon·net·less, adjectivebon·net·like, adjective

Words nearby bonnet

bonne amie, bonne bouche, bonne femme, bonne foi, bonne nuit, bonnet, bonnethead, bonnetière, bonnet monkey, bonnet rouge, bonnet top

Other definitions for bonnet (2 of 2)

Bonnet

[ baw-ne ]

/ bɔˈnɛ /

noun

Georges

[zhawrzh], /ʒɔrʒ/, 1889–1973, French statesman.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use bonnet in a sentence

Popularized through the ever-booming anime and manga industries, the knee-high socks, pastel ruffled skirts and frilly flower-laced bonnets of Lolita “makes me feel feminine, creative and unique,” American Lolita fan Ashlyn Smith tells OZY.
A Wednesday Treat: Your Fall Fashion Guide|Sean Culligan|July 28, 2021|Ozy
When it comes to buying additional accessories, you might want some extra bonnets, replacement pads, or scented demineralized water to use in your mop.
Best steam mop: For gleaming, sanitized floors|PopSci Commerce Team|March 18, 2021|Popular-Science
It has a broth-like base packed with island flavor — bright with lime, fragrant with thyme, and spicy with Scotch bonnet pepper.
Caribbean-inspired seafood stew brings warm island vibes to your table|Ellie Krieger|March 4, 2021|Washington Post
She had a bee in her bonnet and wanted to help these women because she had suffered under the hands of abusers in the past.
“People want to believe”: How Love Fraud builds an absorbing docuseries around a romantic con man|Alissa Wilkinson|September 4, 2020|Vox

While we were discussing the advisability of my departure Geneviève reappeared in the doorway without her bonnet.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the Show|Robert W. Chambers|February 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I wear a floppy bonnet with peacock feathers and whisper Hail Marys under my breath until noon, when I break for snacks.
Karen Russell: How I Write|Noah Charney|February 6, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I always had this sort of bee in my bonnet about doing my own thing.
Virgin Heir Sam Branson’s Drug War|Tony Doukopil|December 7, 2012|DAILY BEAST
In this slim ode to books, the author muses on the life of a serious reader—with Bonnet himself being the ultimate example.
8 Great Books About Books: ‘Phantoms On the Bookshelves’ & More|Michele Filgate|July 19, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Phantoms On the Bookshelves by Jacques Bonnet Bonnet owns more than 40,000 books.
8 Great Books About Books: ‘Phantoms On the Bookshelves’ & More|Michele Filgate|July 19, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Mrs. Newbolt was cutting splints for her new sun-bonnet out of a pasteboard box.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
The farmer stooped down, and raised the shabby bonnet from the face of the woman to examine her more carefully.
The World Before Them|Susanna Moodie
She wore an old poke bonnet and carried a crooked stick, and there seemed to be a hump upon her back.
The Campfire Girls of Roselawn|Margaret Penrose
The hump-backed little figure with poke-bonnet and cane was chased out upon the broken landing.
The Campfire Girls of Roselawn|Margaret Penrose
Do not save on the dress or cloak to buy a more elaborate bonnet, but let the cost be well equalized and the effect will be good.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness|Florence Hartley

British Dictionary definitions for bonnet

bonnet

/ (ˈbɒnɪt) /

noun

any of various hats worn, esp formerly, by women and girls, usually framing the face and tied with ribbons under the chin

Also called: (in Scotland) bunnet (ˈbʌnɪt)

a soft cloth cap
formerly, a flat brimless cap worn by men

the hinged metal part of a motor vehicle body that provides access to the engine, or to the luggage space in a rear-engined vehicle

a cowl on a chimney

nautical a piece of sail laced to the foot of a foresail to give it greater area in light winds

(in the US and Canada) a headdress of feathers worn by some tribes of American Indians, esp formerly as a sign of war

Word Origin for bonnet

C14: from Old French bonet, from Medieval Latin abonnis, of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for bonnet

Bonnet

[ bô-nĕ′ ]

Charles 1720-1793

Swiss naturalist who discovered parthenogenesis when he observed that aphid eggs could develop without fertilization. Bonnet was also one of the first scientists to study photosynthesis.

Other Idioms and Phrases with bonnet

bonnet

see bee in one's bonnet.

bonnet

Origin of bonnet

OTHER WORDS FROM bonnet

Words nearby bonnet

Other definitions for bonnet (2 of 2)

Words related to bonnet

How to use bonnet in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bonnet

Word Origin for bonnet

Scientific definitions for bonnet

Other Idioms and Phrases with bonnet