bonnet

1 of 2

noun

bon·​net ˈbä-nət How to pronounce bonnet (audio)
Synonyms of bonnetnext
1
a(1)
chiefly Scotland : a man's or boy's cap
(2)
: a brimless Scottish cap of seamless woolen fabric compare tam o' shanter sense 2
b
: a cloth or straw hat tied under the chin and worn by women and children
2
a
British : an automobile hood
b
: a metal covering or cowl (as for a fireplace, valve chamber, or ventilator)

bonnet

2 of 2

verb

bonneted; bonneting; bonnets

transitive verb

: to provide with or dress in a bonnet

Examples of bonnet in a Sentence

Noun He lifted the car's bonnet to check the engine.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Lucky beachcombers may even come across rarities like Scotch bonnet and moon snails. — Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 15 June 2026 The dining room table, where the sisters wrote, is strewn with manuscripts, quill pens and tea cups; a bonnet and shawl bedeck a chair in the small kitchen. — Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 26 June 2026
Verb
Endangered Florida bonneted bats soar through the open night skies. — Elise Bennett, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 May 2025 The land was valuable to two endangered species, Florida bonneted bats and the Miami tiger beetle. — Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bonnet

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bonet auxiliary sail, kind of cap, from Anglo-French, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old Saxon gibund bundle, Old English bindan to bind

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1619, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bonnet was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing bonnet

Rhymes for bonnet

See All Rhymes for bonnet

Browse Nearby Words

Bonners Ferry
bonnet
Bonnet
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bonnet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bonnet. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bonnet

noun
bon·​net
ˈbän-ət
1
: a child's or woman's hat tied under the chin by ribbons or strings
2
: a soft woolen cap worn in Scotland

Biographical Definition

Bonnet

biographical name

Bon·​net bȯ-ˈnā How to pronounce Bonnet (audio)
Georges-Étienne 1889–1973 French politician and diplomat

More from Merriam-Webster on bonnet

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for bonnet

Nglish: Translation of bonnet for Spanish Speakers

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