Cap of Maintenance
Preserved but no longer current.
A cap of dignity anciently belonging to the rank of duke; the fur cap of the Lord Mayor of London, worn on days of state; a cap carried before the British sovereigns at their coronation. The significance of maintenance here is not known, but the cap was an emblem of very high honour, for it was conferred by the Pope three times on Henry VII and once on Henry VIII.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Cap of Maintenance” mean?
A cap of dignity anciently belonging to the rank of duke; the fur cap of the Lord Mayor of London, worn on days of state; a cap carried before the British sovereigns at their coronation. The significance of maintenance here is not known, but the cap was an emblem of very high honour, for it was conferred by the Pope three times on Henry VII and once on Henry VIII.
Is “Cap of Maintenance” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.