Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
biggin

biggin

9.9
A small close-fitting cap for a baby that ties under the chin
  • noun
  • /ˈbɪɡɪn/
  • Archaic
: bonete
  • She discovered a vintage biggin at the antique shop that reminded her of her childhood.

Examples

  • Ah, it's a biggin.

    Blood Hook (1987)

  • Biggin.

    Battle of Britain (1969)

  • An actor dressed as a blind man came on with a barrel organ and began singing "The Night We Dropped the Big One on Biggin Hill."

    Fiction book (1992)

  • "Only here aerodromes weren't lit up like Hainault and Biggin Hill.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • The baby wore a biggin to keep her head warm on a chilly day.

  • In the old photographs, children can be seen sporting biggins tied under their chins.

Synonyms

cap
vsbiggin
289 1.0

A soft hat that fits the head, often with a small brim

is tied under the chin and meant for young children
bonnet
vsbiggin
30 4.1

A hat for women or children tied under the chin that covers the ears and back of the head

is smaller and closer fitting mainly for young children
nightcap
vsbiggin
  • Archaic
3 8.3

A soft cloth hat people wear in bed to keep their head warm

is for daytime wear and outdoor use rather than for sleep

Surface Forms

biggin singular
biggins plural

Etymology

Biggin is an old English word for a small close-fitting cap, like a tiny 'bonnet' often tied under a baby's chin. So thinking of it as a baby 'bonnet' helps you remember the modern meaning.