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Glite Dictionary
coonskin

coonskin

2 9.4
A cap made from raccoon fur with the tail hanging down the back
  • noun
  • /ˈkuːnˌskɪn/
  • Archaic
translation icon : gorra de piel de mapache
  • Their blazing red hair stood out in defiant little spikes all over their heads, except when they were wearing their Davy Crockett coonskin caps, a present from Grandma Starbuck.
  • coonskin cap
  • wore a coonskin

Examples

  • The Mountain Man Society president, topped with a coonskin cap, questioned him with keen, squinting regard.

  • A genuine coonskin cap sat on his head with the tail dangling down the side of his face.

  • "Yep," confirmed Molly, taking off her coonskin cap.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • A genuine coonskin cap sat on his head with the tail dangling down the side of his face.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • A woman dressed in a coonskin cap and shooting gloves with long ribbons of brown fringe looks at us and says, "Howdy."

    Fiction book (1999)

  • In grade school, I do remember Davy Crockett's coonskin hats, although I didn't have one, and hula hoops (although I wouldn't call that a fashion), which I did have one of but couldn't really make it go.

    Blog text (11)

  • Out of Atlanta was Dale (the Mouth From the South) Boone, in snug denim overalls and a coonskin hat.

Synonyms

fur hat
vscoonskin
3 1.3

A hat made from animal fur to keep your head warm

is the specific raccoon-tail version tied to North American tradition
beaver
vscoonskin
  • Archaic
3 8.9

A hat made from soft brown fur, popular in the past

is a casual raccoon-tail cap used in folk dress
coonskin cap
vscoonskin
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A hat made from raccoon fur with the tail hanging down the back

is the traditional North American short cap with the tail attached
bearskin
vscoonskin
  • UK
1 8.0

A tall fur hat worn by soldiers as part of a formal uniform

is a short regional tail cap rather than a tall ceremonial headdress
shapka
vscoonskin
9.4

A Russian fur hat with ear flaps worn in cold weather

is a short tailed cap rather than one with ear flaps

Surface Forms

coonskin singular
coonskins plural

Morphology

coonskin = coon + skin (transparent) = coon + skin

The compound directly denotes the skin (pelt) of a 'coon' used as a cap; the meaning maps straightforwardly from the parts.

Etymology

Coonskin comes from coon + skin; coon is a short form of the animal name 'raccoon' and skin means 'fur' or 'hide', so a coonskin is a hat made from raccoon fur, often with the animal's tail left hanging down the back.