Beanie

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbiː.ni/

Definitions

1. A snug and warm head covering typically crafted from fabric, often associated with casual outdoor wear and frequently worn in colder climates
2. A fitted cap made from knit material, commonly used for insulation during chilly weather and recognized for its informal style
3. A tightly knit hat designed to fit snugly over the head and provide warmth

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "beanie" is that its root is slang for the human head. "Bean" in this sense, as in "use your bean," meant the head, and the hat is named after the part of the body it covers. The noun traces back through Old English "bēan" and Middle English "bene," which is the same ancestry that gave us the familiar word for the legume. The hat part of the story is simple. The "-ie" ending is a diminutive suffix, the same one found in words like "hankie" or "movie," so "beanie" literally means something like "little head." Here the diminutive makes the name affectionate, pointing to a small cap sitting on the top of the head.

Synonyms: cap, hat, bonnet, headgear, knit cap