Etymology Map
Back to all words

Bonnet

3 stages from Medieval Latin to English.

Today it means a hat tied under the chin; a car's hood

Where does the word "bonnet" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin abonnis, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
abonnis
Medieval Latin · medieval
"cap"
recorded in the 600s as a kind of cap; in Old French 'bonet' first named the cloth hats were made from
2
Stage 2 of 3
bonet
Old French · medieval
"cloth for caps"
a fabric first, then the cap made of it
3
Stage 3 of 3
bonnet
English · 1400s
"cap"
car 'bonnets' in British English date from the 1900s
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Bonnet’s story begins in Medieval Latin: abonnis meant “cap.” Recorded in the 600s as a kind of cap; in Old French 'bonet' first named the cloth hats were made from. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as bonet. A fabric first, then the cap made of it. It reached English by 1400s as bonnet. Car 'bonnets' in British English date from the 1900s. Today, bonnet means a hat tied under the chin; a car's hood.