What does homburg mean?
A homburg is a rigid felt hat with a brim and a crown shaped by a single lengthwise crease. It was traditionally made from stiff rabbit felt and often finished with a flat ribbon, particularly around the base of the crown. The hat became associated with respectable formal dress in Britain and the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is frequently seen in portrayals of that period. Although it resembles both a fedora and a bowler in outline, its defining feature is the broad, depressed crown with one central indentation, rather than a pinched or rounded crown. Today the word is uncommon in modern dress, but it remains useful for describing period clothing and for distinguishing this particular style of hat. The name comes from Homburg, the German town associated with the manufacture and early popularity of the hat.
nounA stiff-brimmed felt hat with a creased crown, traditionally worn with a ribbon. It is also known as a homburg hat.
- A stiff-brimmed felt hat with a creased crown, traditionally decorated with a ribbon.
"He adjusted the ribbon on his immaculate homburg before stepping into the carriage."
"The auctioneer appeared in a dark suit and a carefully brushed homburg."
"Her grandfather's old photograph showed him wearing a homburg with a ribboned crown."
The plural normally refers to multiple hats of this kind, though it is rarely needed in modern usage.
"The shop displayed several old homburgs behind the counter."
The homburg was a symbol of respectable Edwardian style, but its crown has one neat crease rather than the pinched, split crown of a fedora.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of homburg
The word dates from the 19th century and comes from Homburg, a town in Germany associated with the production of this style of hat. Its English use developed alongside the hat's fashion in Britain and the United States. The name ultimately derives from the German place-name Homburg, whose deeper historical components are less certain and are therefore best left unstated.
How homburg is actually used
The term is now relatively old-fashioned and is encountered more often in historical or literary contexts than in everyday speech. It is also sometimes used simply as an alternative name for the hat itself, even though 'homburg hat' is the less ambiguous phrasing.
Easily confused with homburg
A homburg is a type of hat, whereas a hamburger is a sandwich or patty of ground meat.
Homburg is also the name of a German town from which the hat takes its name.