A flat square academic cap with a tassel, worn at graduation ceremonies.
Named for its resemblance to a mortarboard - the square board used by bricklayers to hold mortar. The academic cap got this name in the 1850s because of its flat, square shape that looked exactly like the tool used in construction. The irony is that this symbol of higher education and intellectual achievement is named after a basic construction tool used by manual laborers.
The ultimate symbol of academic achievement is literally named after a bricklayer's tool for holding cement. There's something beautifully democratic about graduates wearing hats named after construction equipment - it connects intellectual work to the trades.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.