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• hat trick
  hat trick

  noun

  the knocking off by one bowler of three wickets with three successive pitches.
• hat-trick
  hat-trick

  noun

  cricket the achievement of a bowler in taking three wickets with three successive balls

hat trick

American  

[hat trik] / ˈhæt ˌtrɪk /

noun

1. Cricket. the knocking off by one bowler of three wickets with three successive pitches.

2. Ice Hockey, Soccer. three goals scored by one player in one game.

   He was the only athlete in our school’s history to achieve a hat trick in both hockey and soccer.

3. Baseball. three like feats executed by one player in one game, especially three home runs.

   In last night’s game, Marley performed a most unusual hat trick, with his three unassisted double plays.

4. a series of three related successes or accomplishments, especially when achieved one after the other and in close proximity.

   Once again, Kay won the blue ribbons for dill pickles, bread-and-butter pickles, and pickled beets—her annual pickle hat trick!

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hat-trick British  

noun

1. cricket the achievement of a bowler in taking three wickets with three successive balls

2. any achievement of three points, victories, awards, etc within a given period, esp three goals scored by the same player in a soccer match

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hat trick Cultural  

1. In some sports, such as ice hockey, three goals by one player in a single game: “Lemieux scores for the third time tonight; he finally has the hat trick he's been looking for all season.”

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hat trick Idioms  

1. An extremely clever or adroit maneuver, as in It looked as though the party was going to achieve a hat trick in this election. The term originated in cricket, where it refers to three wickets taken by a bowler in three consecutive balls, traditionally rewarded with the presentation of a hat. It later was transferred to ice hockey, soccer, and baseball, where it denotes three consecutive successes (goals, hits), and then to more general use.

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Discover More

The phrase originally referred to a hat traditionally given to a cricket player who scored three wickets, or goals.

By extension, a hat trick is an outstanding performance by an individual, or a particularly clever or adroit maneuver: “She pulled off a hat trick with her presentation to the committee.”

Etymology

Origin of hat trick

First recorded in 1865–70; so called because formerly such a cricket bowler was rewarded with a hat

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hat trick hat-trick

Each of them could have as many as three games left—and each has the ability to explode for a hat trick at any moment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

Argentina’s No. 10 stayed on the pitch long enough to score two more goals and finish the 3-0 victory with a hat trick.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

The buzz: Argentina opened its World Cup title defense with a 3-0 win over Algeria on a hat trick from Lionel Messi.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 21, 2026

Its best player, captain Kylian Mbappe, holds the tournament record with four goals in World Cup finals, including a hat trick in Qatar four years ago.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2026

“Trip, what’s this I hear about a hat trick in yesterday’s game?”

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

Much like it is a tradition for a footballer to take away the match ball after scoring a hat-trick, a bowler will pocket the cricket ball after claiming a five-wicket haul.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

Elsewhere on this year's shortlists, Stacey Solomon has scored a hat-trick of nominations including best TV presenter.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

Just over a month after that hat-trick, Messi scored a goal he has probably never surpassed in the rest of his glorious career.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

Some players can come in and get a hat-trick and it's a bit lucky because you find yourself in the right position.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

Two wickets had fallen in two balls, and the fast bowler was swelling visibly with determination to do the hat-trick.

From A Prefect's Uncle by P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse