milliner
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of milliner
First recorded in 1520–30; variant of obsolete Milaner “native of Milan, dealer in goods from Milan” ( Milan was formerly accented on the first syllable); see -er 1
Explanation
A milliner is someone who designs or makes hats, especially women’s hats. Milliners usually sell hats too. The noun milliner is a somewhat outdated word for a hat maker — it refers to someone whose business is to design, make, decorate, or sell hats. You might go to a milliner before your trip to South America, to buy a large-brimmed sun hat. The earliest meaning of the word milliner, from the fifteenth century, was "vendor of fancy wares, especially those made in Milan," though by the eighteenth century it meant "one who sells women's hats."
Vocabulary lists containing milliner
Put a Lid On It: Hats, Hoods, and Other Headgear
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The Downstairs Girl
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The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
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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.
But Sophie, an introverted milliner, never asked for anyone’s attention and is convinced she’s plain and unattractive.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
There were the bespoke Philip Treacy hats that revisited a technique the milliner has honed for years, with feathers forming typography in words like “Buzz” and “Flow,” worn with some of the men’s looks.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026
The 77-year-old wore a blue feathered hat made by a milliner to the late Queen and carried a bag designed by Lady Victoria.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2025
His father cut men’s suits in Manhattan’s garment district; his mother was a milliner.
From New York Times ● Jan. 21, 2024
“The milliner is a handsome lady, you can say thet for her.”
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
