Phrase guide

bowler hat

noun · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A hard round black felt hat with a narrow brim, formerly worn by men.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bowler, Coke hat, derby

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

Synonym of bowler hat out (“eject someone from an organization”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bowler hat out

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a felt hat that is round and hard with a narrow brim

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bowler, derby hat, derby, plug hat

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: hat, chapeau, lid

History

Etymology

From the name of the hatmakers Thomas and William Bowler, associated with early production.

Across languages

Translations

38 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: bolhoed — hard round black felt hat
  • Bulgarian: бомбе́ (bombé) — hard round black felt hat
  • Catalan: barret fort — hard round black felt hat
  • Catalan: bolet — hard round black felt hat
  • Catalan: bombí — hard round black felt hat
  • Chinese Mandarin: 禮帽 /礼帽 (lǐmào) — hard round black felt hat
  • Chinese Mandarin: 圓頂硬禮帽 /圆顶硬礼帽 (yuándǐng yìng lǐmào) — hard round black felt hat
  • Czech: buřinka — hard round black felt hat
  • Dutch: bolhoed — hard round black felt hat
  • Dutch: dophoed — hard round black felt hat
  • Finnish: knalli — hard round black felt hat
  • French: chapeau melon — hard round black felt hat
  • German: Melone — hard round black felt hat
  • German: Melonenhut — hard round black felt hat
  • Hungarian: keménykalap — hard round black felt hat
  • Indonesian: topi derbi — hard round black felt hat
  • Indonesian: topi caplin — hard round black felt hat
  • Irish: babhlaer — hard round black felt hat
  • Italian: bombetta — hard round black felt hat
  • Japanese: 山高帽 (yamatakabō) — hard round black felt hat
  • Japanese: 山高帽子 (yamatakabōshi) — hard round black felt hat
  • Korean: 중산모 (jungsanmo) — hard round black felt hat
  • Korean: 중산모자 (jungsanmoja) — hard round black felt hat
  • Lao: ຫມວກເດີຣບີ (mūak dœ̄n bī) — hard round black felt hat
  • Macedonian: полуцили́ндер (polucilínder) — hard round black felt hat
  • Persian: شاپو ملون (šâpo melon) — hard round black felt hat
  • Polish: melonik — hard round black felt hat
  • Portuguese: chapéu-coco — hard round black felt hat
  • Portuguese: chapéu de coco — hard round black felt hat
  • Russian: котело́к (kotelók) — hard round black felt hat
  • Slovak: pinč — hard round black felt hat
  • Spanish: bombín — hard round black felt hat
  • Spanish: hongo — hard round black felt hat
  • Swedish: plommonstop — hard round black felt hat
  • Thai: หมวกดาร์บี้ — hard round black felt hat
  • Welsh: het fowler — hard round black felt hat
  • Welsh: het galed — hard round black felt hat
  • Welsh: bowler — hard round black felt hat