\Ber*ret"ta\, n. [It., fr. LL. birrettum, berretum, a
cap, dim. of L. birrus, birrum, a cloak to keep off rain, cf.
Gr. ? tawny, red: cf. Sp. birreta, Pg. barrete, and E.
{Barret}.]
A square cap worn by ecclesiastics of the Roman Catholic
Church. A cardinal's berretta is scarlet; that worn by other
clerics is black, except that a bishop's is lined with green.
[Also spelt {beretta}, {biretta}, etc.]