Jump To:

• fez
  fez

  noun

  a felt cap, usually of a red color, having the shape of a truncated cone, and ornamented with a long black tassel, worn by men in Egypt and North Africa: formerly the national headdress of the Turks.
• Fez
  Fez

  noun

  a city in N Morocco: formerly one of the traditional capitals of the sultanate in the former French zone.

fez

¹ American  

[fez] / fɛz /

noun

fezzes, plural fezes plural

1. a felt cap, usually of a red color, having the shape of a truncated cone, and ornamented with a long black tassel, worn by men in Egypt and North Africa: formerly the national headdress of the Turks.

---

Fez ² American  

[fez] / fɛz /

noun

1. a city in N Morocco: formerly one of the traditional capitals of the sultanate in the former French zone.

---

Fez ¹ British  

/ fɛz /

noun

1. a variant of Fès

---

fez ² British  

/ fɛz /

noun

1. an originally Turkish brimless felt or wool cap, shaped like a truncated cone, usually red and with a tassel

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• fezzed
  adjective
• fezzy
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• fezes
  plural
• fezzes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fez

1795–1805; < Turkish fes, after Fes Fez

Explanation

A fez is a little round hat with a tassel on top. Fez is a French word that comes from the city of Fez in Morocco, where most of the hats were once made. A fez is always cylindrical and often red. Years ago, the fez was the official national hat of Turkey, and before that the Ottoman Empire. Turkey banned fezzes in the 1920s in an effort to become more modern. Today fezzes are typically worn by certain groups of Muslims and members of fraternal organizations such as the Shriners and the Elks.

Example Sentences

A fez owned by comedian and magician Tommy Cooper has sold at auction for £7,000 - more than twice its estimate.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2025

We have photos of my male ancestors wearing the fez and the Ottoman military uniform, but women were rarely photographed.

From Salon • Feb. 27, 2024

He’s the one wearing the Ottoman-style fez, recounting a tale from his recent trip to Constantinople with Rorbye.

From Washington Post • Feb. 3, 2023

That history helps explain why Sabbatai’s successor, Jacob Frank, dressed in Turkish fashion throughout his life, wearing curved shoes and a tall fez.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2022

I feel shielded by the herbs, by the man with the straight spine and starched cotton fez.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García

Related Words

• beret