Word
hatter
Phoneticshat·ter, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhætɝ/
UK/hˈætɐ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a person who makes or sells hats. This word is also used in a funny way to describe someone who is acting crazy, like the character in Alice in Wonderland.
n. a person who makes, sells, or repairs hats. Often used in a literary or idiomatic sense to refer to a person who is eccentric or mad, particularly in reference to Lewis Carroll's 'Mad Hatter'.
Examples
“The hatter showed me several different styles of felt hats.”
“In the nineteenth century, a skilled hatter could earn a good living by crafting high-quality top hats for the upper class.”
“The local hatter had been in business for over a century, passing down the intricate art of millinery to his grandchildren who now manage the shop.”
Examples
simple
“The hatter showed me several different styles of felt hats.”
contextual
“In the nineteenth century, a skilled hatter could earn a good living by crafting high-quality top hats for the upper class.”
complex
“The local hatter had been in business for over a century, passing down the intricate art of millinery to his grandchildren who now manage the shop.”
Real-World Examples
“Arnott’s take on one of Lewis Carroll’s best-loved characters sees the Mad Hatter turn up for a tea party – but there’s no one there, so his imagination takes over.” Etymology
From Middle English hatter; equivalent to hat + -er.
From an English dialect word, meaning "to entangle"; compare Low German verhaddern, verheddern, verhiddern.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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