black cap: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal (legal, historical), Technical (ornithology, cricket)
Quick answer
What does “black cap” mean?
A small bird, the Eurasian blackcap, or a type of close-fitting cap.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small bird, the Eurasian blackcap, or a type of close-fitting cap.
A square black cloth formerly placed by a judge on top of their wig to pronounce a death sentence; also used in cricket to refer to the distinctive cap awarded to a player who has been selected to represent their country in a Test match, or more specifically to refer to a type of bowling in cricket.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The legal/historical meaning is shared but more likely known in the UK due to its historical legal system. The cricketing meaning is almost exclusively British/Commonwealth. The ornithological meaning refers to a bird native to Europe and Western Asia, so the term is more common in British contexts.
Connotations
In UK, strong connotations to cricket and birdwatching. In US, primarily known as a bird (if known at all) or a type of hat, with possible historical/LARPing connotations.
Frequency
Low frequency in both variants, but higher in UK English due to cricket and ornithology.
Grammar
How to Use “black cap” in a Sentence
[Verb] + black cap: wear, don, award, receive[Adjective] + black cap: historical, cricketing, ceremonial, distinctiveVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “black cap” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The selectors decided to black cap him for the upcoming series.
- He was black-capped in 2022.
American English
- (Not used in this sense in AmE.)
adjective
British English
- He is a black-cap bowler.
- A black-cap warbler visited the garden.
American English
- She spotted a black-cap chickadee. (Note: Different bird, similar naming pattern.)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually unused.
Academic
Used in ornithology, legal history, and sports history papers.
Everyday
Rare. Likely only in birdwatching or cricket-following communities.
Technical
Specific terminology in ornithology (bird species) and cricket (bowling type/honour).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “black cap”
- Using 'black cap' to mean any black hat (e.g., a beanie). Confusing the cricket 'cap' with the 'black cap' bowling style. Capitalising incorrectly: it's not a proper noun unless part of a title (e.g., 'the Black Caps' - New Zealand cricket team).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is standardly written as two separate words, though hyphenation (black-cap) is common when used as a modifier (e.g., black-cap warbler).
The New Zealand national cricket team is nicknamed 'The Black Caps', derived from their black cap symbolising Test player status.
While descriptively it could, technically it refers to specific types: a close-fitting cap or the specific historical judge's cap. Using it for a baseball cap or beanie would be unconventional.
No, it is purely historical. The death penalty for murder was abolished in the UK in 1969, ending the ceremonial use of the black cap.
A small bird, the Eurasian blackcap, or a type of close-fitting cap.
Black cap is usually formal (legal, historical), technical (ornithology, cricket) in register.
Black cap: in British English it is pronounced /ˌblæk ˈkæp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌblæk ˈkæp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to don the black cap (to pronounce death sentence)”
- “to earn your black cap (to be selected for a Test match)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Picture a judge putting a BLACK CAP on his head before saying a BLACK sentence.
Conceptual Metaphor
AUTHORITY IS A HEAD COVERING (legal), ACHIEVEMENT IS A BADGE/WORN ITEM (cricket).
Practice
Quiz
In a modern British context, 'earning a black cap' is most likely to refer to: