busby

See also: Busby

English

Third Marquess of Londonderry in a busby.

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) Various theories; probably from the surname Busby.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈbʌz.bi/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

Noun

busby (plural busbies or busbys)

1. A fur hat, usually with a plume in the front, worn by certain members of the military or brass bands.
   • 1887, Thomas Stevens, chapter IV, in Around the World on a Bicycle‎^[1], Vol. II: From Teheran to Yokohama, London: Sampson Low […] , pages 71–72:

     […] many Khorassanis wearing huge sheepskin busbies, similar to the head-gear of the Roumanians and Tabreez Turks of Ovahjik and the Perso-Turkish border.

   • 1895, Robert W. Chambers, The King in Yellow:

     They were a fine lot of fellows, in their pale blue, tight-fitting jackets, jaunty busbys and white riding breeches with the double yellow stripe […]

   • 1976 September, Saul Bellow, Humboldt’s Gift, New York, N.Y.: Avon Books, →ISBN, page 54:

     His head was shaped like a busby, a high solid arrogant rock, covered with thick moss.

Coordinate terms

• (fur hat): bearskin

Translations

fur hat, usually with a plume

• Catalan: colbac m
• Dutch: kolbak (nl) c
• German: Kalpak
• Italian: colbacco (it) m
• Spanish: colbac m
• Welsh: cap blew m, bysbi m

See also

• shako

Further reading

• busby (military headdress) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• subby