chignon

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

noun

, plural chi·gnons [sheen, -yonz, sheen-, yuhnz, shee-, nyawn].

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

Derived Forms

• ˈchignoned, adjective

Other Words From

• chignoned 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

Dotty was giving an extra touch to her chignon, and Prudy trying on her cap.

From Project Gutenberg

The latter wore no covering on their rich, shining hair, twisted into a kind of Greek chignon.

From Project Gutenberg

Of course I could not continue to wear my hair la pigtail, and that went up in the then fashionable chignon.

From Project Gutenberg

She wore an imperceptible hat, balanced on an immense pyramidal chignon, from which escaped a torrent of wavy hair.

From Project Gutenberg

The women wind theirs in a peculiar knot, in about the position of the French chignon.

From Project Gutenberg