nightcap

American  

[nahyt-kap] / ˈnaɪtˌkæp /

noun

1. Informal. an alcoholic drink taken at bedtime or at the end of a festive evening.

2. a cap for the head, intended primarily to be worn in bed.

3. Sports Informal. the last event of the program for the day, especially the second game of a doubleheader in baseball or the last race of the day in horse racing.

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nightcap British  

/ ˈnaɪtˌkæp /

noun

1. a bedtime drink, esp an alcoholic or hot one

2. a soft cap formerly worn in bed

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Other Word Forms

• nightcapped adjective

Etymology

Origin of nightcap

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; night, cap ¹

Example Sentences

Many nights my last waking sight would be Eusie in long robe and tasseled nightcap, handing his day clothes through the secret panel.

From Literature

Holding it was an old man in pajamas and nightcap.

From Literature

That gin martini nightcap at the luxe Savoy hotel looks less appealing at $38 rather than £28.

From The Wall Street Journal

The train will get you back to Tokyo in time for a nightcap, perhaps at Studio Mule, a listening bar in Shibuya that specializes in natural wine.

From The Wall Street Journal

Plus, Charleston on a budget, a new take on the nightcap and how to make your financial discipline last.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• sedative