1. a straw hat woven from the leaves of a tropical American plant, traditionally made in Ecuador
Usage: often called a Panama hat, though the term jipijapa refers to the material and origin; the name comes from Jipijapa, a town in Ecuador
2. the tropical plant (Carludovica palmata) whose leaves are used to make jipijapa hats
Usage: botanical term

Examples

• He wore a jipijapa hat to protect himself from the sun while traveling in South America.
• The jipijapa is traditionally woven by hand using techniques passed down through generations.
• Ecuadorian artisans are famous for crafting fine jipijapa hats that are exported worldwide.
• The plant used to make jipijapa grows in the tropical regions of Central and South America.
• A quality jipijapa can take weeks to weave and is considered a valuable accessory.