dunce cap

American  

Or dunce's cap

noun

1. a tall, cone-shaped hat formerly worn by slow or lazy students as a punishment in school.

---

dunce cap British  

noun

1. a conical paper hat, formerly placed on the head of a dull child at school

---

Etymology

Origin of dunce cap

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dunce cap

If you do think that he could, please step forward and claim your complimentary dunce cap, and infuse it with your own naivete.

From Salon ● May 5, 2023

Come December, the predictor will either be wearing a dunce cap or a genius cap.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2021

If Lamont lets this deteriorate further, he may find he’s wearing the dunce cap in the corner for letting his prized project fall apart.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 25, 2020

Above all, Hader did not strike out Soto, the kind of left-handed hitter he is supposed to dominate, intimidate and fit for a dunce cap.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 2, 2019

Sammy/Fake Leo stormed up to Rufus with his dunce cap in his hand, looking angry.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan