red hat
Americannoun
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the broad-brimmed official hat of a Roman Catholic cardinal, symbolic of the office or rank of a cardinal.
-
a cardinal.
noun
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the broad-brimmed crimson hat given to cardinals as the symbol of their rank and office
-
the rank and office of a cardinal
Etymology
Origin of red hat
First recorded in 1590–1600
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.
A woman who looked more than a decade older than I, wearing a fabulous red hat, sat next to me.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
He stood about 25 feet tall, ax in hand, wearing a red hat and rictus grin.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026
There are no viral clips, no TikTok reactions from red hat superfans and no manufactured outrage that turns into free publicity.
From Salon ● Jan. 31, 2026
A separate clip of the incident shows Booker waving to mourners and pushing a fellow student’s red hat.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2025
One was wearing camouflage; the other, foolishly, wore a bright red hat.
From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline
Definitions 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.
