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Synonyms

topper

American  
[top-er] / ˈtɒp ər /

noun

  1. a person or thing that tops.

  2. a woman's loose, usually lightweight topcoat, especially one that is knee-length or shorter.

  3. Informal. top hat.

  4. capper.

  5. British Slang. an excellent or well-liked person or thing.

topper British  
/ ˈtɒpə /

noun

  1. an informal name for top hat

  2. a person or thing that tops

  3. informal a remark that caps the one before

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of topper

First recorded in 1665–75; top 1 + -er 1

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.

I briefly consider breakfast-for-dinner — biscuits and eggs are always tempting — but land instead on a skillet chicken pot pie: chicken, frozen vegetables, cream, and biscuits as the topper.

From Salon • Jan. 11, 2026

WSJ | Buy Side: Find the best mattress topper for your sleep situation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 10, 2026

Serious crab keepers install a second story to their tank, called a topper, that functions as a playground.

From Slate • Aug. 19, 2025

Even the logo jumps out like a birthday cake topper, with the number “70” alternately blocky and rounded as if constructed out of frosting.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2025

Ignatius noticed hopelessly that she had added a dash of color by pinning a wilted poinsettia to the lapel of her topper.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

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.