Hat vs. Cap
Main DifferenceHats and caps are two types of the headgears which are worn across the globe for the multiple purposes. These headgears are either used as a style statement or to get protected from heat and pollution. Many people often found it difficult to differentiate it between both these types of the headgears. Although, they can be easily distinguished by the brim and the peak. The hat is the crown-shaped headgear with a brim, on the other hand, a cap is a kind of soft, flat hat without a brim and typically with a peak. With these definitions, one thing is clear that cap itself is one of the types of the hat.

Difference Between Hat and Cap
Hat vs. Cap
The hat is a headgear, which usually has the shape crown and the brim. Contrary to this, a cap is a kind of soft, flat hat without a brim and typically with a peak.
Hat vs. Cap
Cap itself is a type of the hat, with the only difference of brim and the peak or the visor.
Hat vs. Cap
Hats have the shape crown while the crown of the cap fits very close to the head.
Hat vs. Cap
The shape and size of the brim changes in different types of the hat. On the other hand, cap lacks brim and has peak or the visor instead.
Hat vs. Cap
Hats are used for the various purposes of a style statement, safety, and as an accessory for the religious ceremonies. Conversely, the caps are mainly used to get protected from the sunlight or to get warmth in the winter season.
Hatnoun
A covering for the head, often in the approximate form of a cone or a cylinder closed at its top end, and sometimes having a brim and other decoration.
Capnoun
A close-fitting hat, either brimless or peaked.
The children were all wearing caps to protect them from the sun.Hatnoun
(figuratively) A particular role or capacity that a person might fill.
Capnoun
A special hat to indicate rank, occupation etc.
Hatnoun
(figuratively) Any receptacle from which numbers/names are pulled out in a lottery.
Capnoun
An academic mortarboard
Hatnoun
The lottery or draw itself.
We're both in the hat: let's hope we come up against each other.Capnoun
A protective cover or seal
He took the cap off the bottle and splashed himself with some cologne.Hatnoun
(video games) A hat switch.
Capnoun
A crown for covering a tooth
He had golden caps on his teeth.Hatnoun
The háček symbol.
Capnoun
The summit of a mountain etc.
There was snow on the cap of the mountain.Hatnoun
The caret symbol ^.
Capnoun
An artificial upper limit or ceiling
We should put a cap on the salaries, to keep them under control.Hatnoun
(internet slang) User rights on a website, such as the right to edit pages others cannot.
Capnoun
The top part of a mushroom
Hatverb
(transitive) To place a hat on.
Capnoun
A small amount of gunpowder in a paper strip or plastic cup for use in a toy gun
Billy spent all morning firing caps with his friends, re-enacting storming the beach at Normandy.Hatverb
(transitive) To appoint as cardinal.
Capnoun
A small explosive device used to detonate a larger charge of explosives
He wired the cap to the bundle of dynamite, then detonated it remotely.Hatnoun
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
Capnoun
(slang) A bullet used to shoot someone.
Hatnoun
an informal term for a person's role;
he took off his politician's hat and talked franklyCapnoun
(soccer) An international appearance
Rio Ferdinand won his 50th cap for England in a game against Sweden.Hatverb
put on or wear a hat;
He was unsuitably hattedCapnoun
(obsolete) The top, or uppermost part; the chief.
Hatverb
furnish with a hat
Capnoun
(obsolete) A respectful uncovering of the head.
Capnoun
(zoology) The whole top of the head of a bird from the base of the bill to the nape of the neck.
Capnoun
(architecture) The uppermost of any assemblage of parts.
the cap of column, door, etc.; a capital, coping, cornice, lintel, or plateCapnoun
Something covering the top or end of a thing for protection or ornament.
Capnoun
(nautical) A collar of iron or wood used in joining spars, as the mast and the topmast, the bowsprit and the jib boom; also, a covering of tarred canvas at the end of a rope.
Capnoun
(geometry) A portion of a spherical or other convex surface.
Capnoun
A large size of writing paper.
flat cap; foolscap; legal capCapnoun
(finance) Capitalization.
Capnoun
(informal) An uppercase letter.
Capnoun
(electronics) capacitor
Parasitic caps.Capnoun
(colloquial) A recording or screenshot.
Anyone have a cap of the games last night?Capverb
(transitive) To cover or seal with a cap
Capverb
(transitive) To award a cap as a mark of distinction etc.
Capverb
(transitive) To lie over or on top of something
Capverb
(transitive) To surpass or outdo
Capverb
(transitive) To set an upper limit on something
cap wages.Capverb
(transitive) To make something even more wonderful at the end.
That really capped my day.Capverb
To select a player to play for a specified side
Capverb
To shoot (someone) with a firearm.
If he don't get outta my hood, I'm gonna cap his ass.Capverb
to select to play for the national team.
Peter Shilton is the most capped English footballer.Capverb
To uncover the head respectfully.
Capverb
To deprive of a cap.
Capverb
To convert text to uppercase.
Capverb
(transitive) To take a screenshot or to record a copy of a video.
Capnoun
a tight-fitting headdress
Capnoun
a top (as for a bottle)
Capnoun
a mechanical or electrical explosive device or a small amount of explosive; can be used to initiate the reaction of a disrupting explosive
Capnoun
something serving as a cover or protection
Capnoun
a fruiting structure resembling an umbrella that forms the top of a stalked fleshy fungus such as a mushroom
Capnoun
an upper limit on what is allowed;
they established a cap for pricesCapnoun
dental appliance consisting of an artificial crown for a tooth
Capnoun
the upper part of a column that supports the entablature
Capverb
lie at the top of;
Snow capped the mountainsCapverb
restrict the number or amount of;
We had to cap the number of people we can accept into our clubComparison Chart
Hat | Cap |
The hat is a headgear, which usually has the shape crown and the brim. | A cap is a kind of soft, flat hat without a brim and typically with a peak. |
Shape | |
Hats have the shaped crown. | The crown of the cap fits very close to the head. |
Brim | |
The shape and size of the brim changes in different types of the hat. | Cap lacks brim and has peak or the visor instead. |
Usage | |
Hats are used for the various purposes of a style statement, safety, and as an accessory for the religious ceremonies. | The caps are mainly used to get protected from the sunlight or to get warmth in the winter season. |
Difference between Hat?
A hat is a crown shaped headgear with brim; this could be used for various purposes like style statement, safety, and as an accessory for the religious ceremonies. For instance, Muslims, the followers of Islam are asked to wear a hat while offering their prayers. The point which differentiates the different type of hats from one and another is the shape of the brim. The hat also denotes the status and rank in some parts of the world as it’s issued as the part of the uniform in departments like police and military. Other than this, the tribes head wear a special type of hat that denotes his supremacy and dominance on others. At first, the hats were merely known for the safety of headgear, but now in the current world, there is various type of hats that are more purposeful to look elegant and beautiful. As mentioned above, the brim makes the difference in different types of hats; for example, the sunhat, which shades the face has a wide brim to do so. Contrary to this, the hard hats, which are used as an element of protection have a small brim. Visor hats, rain hats, fedora hats, bucket hats, top hats, bowler hats, Panama hats, and cowboy hats are some of the prominent types of hats.
Difference between Cap?
A cap is a type of hat, which usually has a peak and lacks the brim. There are different types of caps used across the globe for various purposes like a fashion item, part of the uniform and even used for warmth in the winter seasons. Different special materials are used to make the caps; as some caps are used for providing warmth and another one to provide shades. The caps are simple but efficient head hear that protects the face from the sunlight and provide shades. Therefore they are widely used in the sports like cricket, tennis, baseball and golf. The other best thing about these caps is that they are quite light weight and can also be used to cover the hairs on the head, so they don’t interrupt during the activity. The crowns of the cap are fit very close to the head, and they always have peak or visor, which differentiates it from the hat.