war bonnet

American

noun

an American Indian headdress consisting of a headband with a tail of ornamental feathers.

war bonnet British

noun

a headband with trailing feathers, worn by certain North American Indian warriors as a headdress

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of war bonnet

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It is “one of the most significant assaults on our treaties and way of life” in generations, said Chief Sheldon Sunshine of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, who donned a war bonnet of eagle feathers last month to join chiefs representing all 48 First Nations in Alberta to denounce the separatists.

From The Wall Street Journal

Posing on the cover of Rolling Stone while wearing almost nothing but a feathered war bonnet was supposed to mark Avery’s national success and celebrate her pride as a member of the Muscogee tribe.

From Los Angeles Times

Waiting for the marchers was Matthew War Bonnet, Sicangu Lakota, a survivor of the St. Francis Indian School in South Dakota and a resident of Snohomish.

From Seattle Times

“This became my friend,” War Bonnet said, holding a razor strap.

From Seattle Times

But “this has never been about religion,” said Matthew War Bonnet, Sicangu Lakota, a survivor of St. Francis Indian School in South Dakota and a resident of Snohomish.

From Seattle Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023