chignon

[sheen-yon, sheen-yuhn, shee-nyawn]

noun

plural

chignons 

1. a large, smooth twist, roll, or knot of hair, worn by women at the nape of the neck or the back of the head.

chignon

/ ʃiɲɔ̃, ˈʃiːnjɒn /

noun

1. an arrangement of long hair in a roll or knot at the back of the head

Other Word Forms

• chignoned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of chignon¹

1775–85; < French: nape, roll of hair at nape, blend of Middle French chaignon (variant of chainon link, equivalent to chaine chain + -on noun suffix) and tignon twist of hair ( tigne (< Latin tinea worm) + -on noun suffix)

Word History and Origins

Origin of chignon¹

C18: from French, from Old French chaignon link, from chaine _chain ; influenced also by Old French tignon coil of hair, from tigne, moth, from Latin tinea moth

Example Sentences

And the woman wore her hair just as Miss Mortimer did, in a pretty chignon at the base of her neck.

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With one hand she smoothed her dark blond hair, which was arranged in an elegant chignon at the nape of her neck.

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He also throws in an allusion to Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” — cue the blond chignon — that does his movie no favors.

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The women’s cheeks are stained with blush, their hair in chignons.

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She wore a flowing, bright yellow dress, and her blonde hair was perfectly coiffed in a thick chignon.

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