Bowler

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbəʊ.lə/

Definitions

1. A hard rounded hat typically worn by men ; an athlete in cricket who throws the ball towards the batsman ; a person who plays the game of bowling by rolling balls to knock down pins
2. A formal hat with a rounded crown and narrow brim ; a cricket team member specializing in delivering the ball ; an individual engaging in bowling as a sport or recreation
3. A stiff felt hat traditionally worn in formal or business settings ; a cricket player responsible for bowling the ball to the batter ; someone who competes or participates in bowling activities

Etymology: The bowler hat takes its name from a pair of hatmakers, Thomas and William Bowler, who were associated with its early production. The hat was a tough, close-fitting felt hat, and the story of its name is a matter of trade rather than legend: a maker's surname became a product name, much as "Stetson" did in America. The same word has a second life in cricket, where a bowler is the player who delivers the ball. That sense comes from the verb "bowl," meaning to roll or throw a ball, with the suffix "-er" marking the person who performs the action. The hat and the cricketer share a spelling by coincidence rather than by descent, since the two words arose from different sources.

Synonyms: hat, bowler hat