hood

1 of 4

noun (1)

plural hoods
1
a(1)
: a flexible covering for the head and neck
(2)
: a protective covering for the head and face
b
: a covering for a hawk's head and eyes
c
: a covering for a horse's head
also : blinder
2
a
: an ornamental scarf worn over an academic gown that indicates by its color the wearer's college or university
b
: a color marking or crest on the head of an animal or an expansion of the head that suggests a hood
3
a
: something resembling a hood in form or use
b
: a cover for parts of mechanisms
specifically : the movable metal covering over the engine of an automobile
c
chiefly British : a top cover over the passenger section of a vehicle usually designed to be folded back
d
: an enclosure or canopy provided with a draft for carrying off fumes, sprays, smokes, or dusts
e
: a covering for an opening (such as a companion hatch) on a boat
hood transitive verb
hoodlike adjective

hood

2 of 4

noun (2)

variants or 'hood
plural hoods or 'hoods
informal
: a neighborhood and especially an inner-city neighborhood
also : inner city
plural hoods
informal
: hoodlum
… he understands the hood's plight that led him to crime.Scott Waldyn
Named for his [Elvis Presley's] iconic song of the same name, Jailhouse Rock centers on Vince Everett, a young hood serving a one-year jail sentence for manslaughter.Jake Dee

-hood

4 of 4

noun suffix

1
: state : condition : quality : character
widowerhood
hardihood
2
: time : period
childhood
3
: instance of a (specified) state or quality
falsehood
4
: individuals sharing a (specified) state or character
brotherhood

Examples of hood in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Police said the woman intentionally rammed the Kia owner, who ended up on the hood of the Corvette. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2024 Home security footage captured Jami placing the explosive on the hood of a car at the residence, igniting it and leaving the scene. The Enquirer, 12 Mar. 2024 And then there are the Cybertruck owners who added their own aesthetic touches to Tesla’s already ostentatious design, with winning flourishes like gigantic bullhorns on the truck’s hood, or spraypainted graffiti-style art. Thomas Germain / Gizmodo, Quartz, 9 Mar. 2024 And his juxtaposition of hood aesthetics with delicate music has been done before, like by fleeting singer RMR in 2020. Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024 Beneath the long hood lies a 7.3-liter V-12 from Cosworth, good for 750 hp and 553 ft lbs of twist. Sean Evans, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2024 Then try placing it on the clitoral hood to cushion the intense vibrations, or try placing it on other parts of your vulva like along your inner labia. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 3 Mar. 2024 The wooden finish on this range hood adds warmth to the space, while complementing the other wooden finishes throughout the kitchen. Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2024 Some Ocean owners have complained that their EVs are losing power, and there are additional complaints of malfunctioning key fobs and hoods that suddenly open while in motion, according to TechCrunch. Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hood.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English hōd; akin to Old High German huot head covering, huota guard

Noun (2)

short for neighborhood

Noun suffix

Middle English -hod, from Old English -hād; akin to Old High German -heit state, Goth haidus way, manner

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Noun (2)

1967, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1880, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hood was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near hood

Cite this Entry

“Hood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hood. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hood

1 of 3 noun
1
: a soft covering for the head and neck often attached to a coat or cape
2
: a marking, crest, or fold on the head of an animal
3
a
: something resembling a hood in form or use
b
: a cover for parts of mechanisms
especially : the movable metal covering over the engine of an automobile
c
: an enclosure provided with a draft for carrying off disagreeable or harmful fumes, sprays, or dust
hooded
-əd
adjective
hoodlike adjective

hood

2 of 3 noun

-hood

3 of 3 noun suffix
ˌhu̇d
1
: state : condition : quality
hardihood
2
: time : period
childhood
3
: instance of a state or quality
falsehood
4
: individuals sharing a state or character
brotherhood
Etymology

Noun suffix

Old English hād "condition, quality"

Biographical Definition

Hood 1 of 3

biographical name (1)

John Bell 1831–1879 American Confederate general

Hood

2 of 3

biographical name (2)

Samuel 1724–1816 1st Viscount Hood British admiral

Hood

3 of 3

biographical name (3)

Thomas 1799–1845 English poet

More from Merriam-Webster on hood

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