brass hat
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A high-ranking officer. Commander.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
"American brass hats make no secret that they regard outer space as a potential theater of military operations," it said.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “brass hat” mean?
A high-ranking officer. Commander.
Is “brass hat” formal or informal?
brass hat is generally slang.