What does "nightcap" mean?
A warm cloth cap worn while sleeping, often with pajamas, being common attire in northern Europe before effective home heating became widespread.
Nightcap
/ˈnaɪtˌkæp/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A warm cloth cap worn while sleeping, often with pajamas, being common attire in northern Europe before effective home heating became widespread.
- Grammar: nightcap is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: anesthetic, aperitif, bedtime cap, before bed drink.
- Useful contrasts: bare head, begin without finale, go to bed sober.
- Usage evidence: I'm not bothered. It's just my usual nightcap. Having someone to drink with on occasion might be nice.
How to use "nightcap"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "nightcap" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "nightcap" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "nightcap" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "nightcap" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "nightcap" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "anesthetic" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "nightcap", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A warm cloth cap worn while sleeping, often with pajamas, being common attire in northern Europe before effective home heating became widespread.
"Winston wore a nightcap to stave off the cold."
- 2 the final game of a double header wordnet
- 3 A beverage drunk before bed that is usually alcoholic.
"I'll make myself a nightcap of whisky and lemon before heading to bed."
- 4 a cloth cap worn in bed wordnet
- 5 Something that a person reads or listens to before bed. broadly, figuratively
""[…] and as a nightcap I happened to pick the copy of Plato […]""
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 an alcoholic drink taken at bedtime; often alcoholic wordnet
- 7 The final match of a sporting contest, especially the second game of a baseball doubleheader. US
- 8 A cap drawn over the face of the condemned person before they are hanged. historical
Verb
- 1 To drink an alcoholic beverage shortly before retiring to bed. intransitive
"Even better than breakfast, though, is nightcapping at the Waffle House . Nightcapping happens after the bars close, but before the southern sunrise: the hours when their jukeboxes play “Freebird” on a continual loop, […]"
Proper Noun
- 1 A locality in the Byron council area and the Lismore council area, north-eastern New South Wales, Australia.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
bare headbegin without finalego to bed sobermorning drink
Example
"I'm not bothered. It's just my usual nightcap. Having someone to drink with on occasion might be nice."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "nightcap"?
Common synonyms include: anesthetic, aperitif, bedtime cap, before bed drink, cap, capstone.
How do you use "nightcap" in a sentence?
I'm not bothered. It's just my usual nightcap. Having someone to drink with on occasion might be nice.
How do you pronounce "nightcap"?
Pronounced /ˈnaɪtˌkæp/.
Etymology
From night + cap.