Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[missdaredevil]

He was wearing a *propeller beanie* hat.

What kind of hat is that?

[iitimone7]

it's a small round hat worn on top of a head (i've only seen them on boys) with a small, plastic propeller on top. it usually characterizes the person wearing it as being unintelligent and naive. iitimone7

[bud]

Have you ever actually seen one? I only ever saw them in cartoons.

[missdaredevil]

Why *beanie*?

It looks like the shape of head?

[bud]

I don't know, but bean is slang for head. It may be based on that.

[iitimone7]

beanie/bean

i would have to agree with bud...that's the only reason that i can think of, too. iitimone7

[Vin21]

beanie=A small brimless cap
Is it possible that beanie sounds like brimless,so wear this brimless hat sounds a little like wear this beanie hat..

[bud]

Hey, Vin!

I doubt that that is the reason because they are not that close in sound. It may be as MsD said (I didn't really take note of it the first time): that the beanie conforms to the shape of your head (bean) and therefore the diminutive of bean was adopted as its name.That's just a guess, though.