fool's cap

American  

noun

1. a traditional jester's cap or hood, often multicolored and usually having several drooping peaks from which bells are hung.

2. dunce cap.

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fool's cap British  

noun

1. a hood or cap with bells or tassels, worn by court jesters

2. a dunce's cap

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Etymology

Origin of fool's cap

First recorded in 1625–35

Example Sentences

He puts on his fool’s cap and plays and dances and hopes he amuses.”

From New York Times • Mar. 24, 2023

"Troel" is quite the fantastical creature with his carrot-shaped nose, crooked fool's cap, wispy beard and blearily closed eyes.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 27, 2012

Over the burgher's shoulder, Jordaens has painted himself, sporting a fool's cap.

From Time Magazine Archive

To be sure, my crown's a fool's cap and my sceptre's a rattle, and so, perhaps, not imposing; but it pleases me to sit here and fancy myself a King.

From Harper's Round Table, July 2, 1895 by Various

My good Simplicissimus, I do plainly see that, though thou hast cast aside thy fool's cap, thou hast kept thy fool's head, that cannot understand what is good and what is bad.

From The Adventurous Simplicissimus being the description of the Life of a Strange vagabond named Melchior Sternfels von Fuchshaim by Grimmelshausen, Hans Jacob Christoph von