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bonnet rouge

American  
[baw-ne roozh] / bɔ nɛ ˈruʒ /

noun

French.

PLURAL

bonnets rouges
  1. a red liberty cap, worn by extremists during the French Revolution.

  2. an extremist or radical.


bonnet rouge British  
/ bɔnɛ ruʒ /

noun

  1. a red cap worn by ardent supporters of the French Revolution

  2. an extremist or revolutionary

"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

Etymology

Origin of bonnet rouge

literally: red 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.

His riff on red asked if the colour of revolution was inspired by blood or by fire, and took in the bonnet rouge of the French Revolution, Garibaldi, Uruguayan butchers, bullfighters and Buddhism.

From The Guardian

Ung aultre petit double tableau, o� il y une jeusne fille, habill�e � la mode d'Espaigne, ayant ung bonnet rouge sur sa teste, l'aultre coust� plain d'escripture.

From Project Gutenberg

Ung sainct homme habill� d'une robbe de taffetas noir et ung bonnet rouge.

From Project Gutenberg

He was wearing a red cap which, in the sunlight, became him well; but he said playfully that Lady Tennyson disliked it as too suggestive of a “bonnet rouge.”

From Project Gutenberg

Democracy was his ideal, and democratic virtues won his admiration; indeed, he dared to flaunt the “bonnet rouge” of liberty in London streets in this agitated period, but after the Days of Terror in ’92 he tore off the white cockade and never again donned the Cap of Liberty.

From Project Gutenberg