hat trick

noun

1
: the scoring of three goals in one game (as of hockey or soccer) by a single player
2
: the dismissing (see dismiss sense 4) of three batsmen with three consecutive balls by a bowler in cricket
3
: a series of three victories, successes, or related accomplishments
scored a hat trick when her three best steers corralled top honorsPeople

Did you know?

It may surprise some people to learn that the term "hat trick" as it relates to sports actually originated in British cricket. A bowler who retired three batsmen with three consecutive balls was entitled to a new hat at the expense of the club to commemorate this feat. Eventually, the phrase was applied to a single player scoring three goals in any goal sport and later to three victories or successes in sports as different as horse racing and golf. The phrase finally broadened to include a string of three important successes or achievements in any field.

Examples of hat trick in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Colin Driscoll and Tony Giacchino had identical stat lines, each recording a hat trick to go with a pair of assists as Masconomet cruised to a 17-3 romp of Salem in the Northeastern Conference. Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 22 Apr. 2025 Gretzky scored the winning goal, on the way to a hat trick. Gary Trust, Billboard, 18 Apr. 2025 And then after recording a hat trick on Feb. 2, Verhaeghe scored just two goals in his next 23 games, a stretch that including that season-high 13-game scoreless drought, despite another 68 shots on goal before finally scoring again Tuesday on an empty net. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2025 De La Salle 4-2 (10) Junior midfielder Sara Murray clicks for a hat trick in a 6-0 win over Rock Island. 10. Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hat trick

Word History

Etymology

probably from the former practice of rewarding the feat with the gift of a hat

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of hat trick was in 1869

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Cite this Entry

“Hat trick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hat%20trick. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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