fool's cap

American  

noun

1. a traditional jester's cap or hood, often multicolored and usually having several drooping peaks from which bells are hung.

2. dunce cap.

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fool's cap British  

noun

1. a hood or cap with bells or tassels, worn by court jesters

2. a dunce's cap

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Etymology

Origin of fool's cap

First recorded in 1625–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fool's cap

He puts on his fool’s cap and plays and dances and hopes he amuses.”

From New York Times ● Mar. 24, 2023

"Troel" is quite the fantastical creature with his carrot-shaped nose, crooked fool's cap, wispy beard and blearily closed eyes.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 27, 2012

Over the burgher's shoulder, Jordaens has painted himself, sporting a fool's cap.

From Time Magazine Archive

She induced the nobles to omit the fool’s cap from the livery, and to substitute a bundle of arrows, or a wheatsheaf.

From The Golden Grasshopper A story of the days of Sir Thomas Gresham by Kingston, William Henry Giles

He would put a fool's cap on our head and dress us up in the parti-colored robes of a harlequin for the nations of the world to laugh at.

From The Rose of Old St. Louis by Dillon, Mary