berretta
9.9
A stiff square cap with ridges on top worn by Catholic priests
- noun
- /bɛˈrɛtə/
- UK
- Many members of the clergy in Rome wear a berretta as part of their ceremonial attire.
Examples
-
He adjusted his berretta to fit snugly on his head before entering the chapel.
-
The priest wore a traditional berretta during the church service.
-
Get that berretta away from him somehow, and kill him
Synonyms
biretta
vsberretta
A stiff square cap with three or four ridges worn by priests, bishops, and some academics
is worn mainly by Roman Catholic clergy rather than by other groups
9.9
A stiff square cap with three or four peaks that priests and cardinals wear
is more general and does not specify an exact ridge count
How Formal
Surface Forms
Etymology
Berretta comes from the Italian word berretta, which means 'small cap'. It is like the word beret, another hat word, and that's why berretta refers to the stiff, square cap worn by Catholic priests.