Toppers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of headwear often worn for formal or festive occasions; decorative items placed on cakes or desserts; referring to the top winners or leaders in a competitive context
2. Items worn on the head for style or protection during events; ornamental figures used to enhance the appearance of baked goods; the highest achievers in a ranking or competitive scenario
3. Headgear typically associated with celebrations or formal attire; embellishments that enhance the aesthetic of sweets; individuals who excel and stand at the forefront in contests or performance rankings

Etymology: "Toppers" is the plural of "topper," and the singular has a more interesting family than its plural suggests. Its root is the ordinary English noun "top," with the agentive ending "-er" added, so the word originally named something that was on top or sat at the top. The Middle English form "toppor" was built this way, giving the word a physical, almost literal start in the sense of whatever sits atop something. From that base the word branched in several directions. The sense that gives it its best-known modern use, a tall silk hat, is the one that lets the plural describe a row of formal headwear at a race or wedding. The other senses, ornamental figures on cakes and the highest-ranked performers in a contest, grew from the same idea of something sitting at the summit: a decoration crowning a confection, or a participant standing above the rest.

Synonyms: caps, covers, finishes