What it means
That snug knitted hat you yank on when the wind’s trying to steal your ears. Canadians call it a toque, sometimes spelled tuque, pronounced like took. It’s the everyday winter lid, not the tall chef’s hat with the same name. You’ll hear it in schools, on rinks, and in line for Timmies, usually paired with an obligatory eh and a parka.
Usage examples
"We’re heading to the outdoor rink, bud, and it’s brutal out, so grab your toque before your ears freeze solid, eh."
"Eh bud, before you head out to the rink at Sault Ste Marie this morning, grab your toque from the closet because the windchill is brutal and your ears will fall off by the second period."
"The cashier at the Tim Hortons in Sudbury was wearing a Maple Leafs toque and a giant smile, served me a double-double, told me the highway was open again, and wished me a safe drive home."
Where it comes from
Borrowed straight from the French toque, the soft cap once worn by chefs and Renaissance courtiers, then adopted by Canadian French winters as the knitted woollen lid for keeping ears from frostbite. The spelling tuque comes from the Quebec version, and the pronunciation took settled across the country.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
Your vote counts
Is this real street talk or have we lost the plot? Cast your vote.