toupee

American  

[too-pey] / tuˈpeɪ /

noun

1. a man's wig.

2. a patch of false hair for covering a bald spot.

3. (formerly) a curl or an artificial lock of hair on the top of the head, especially as a crowning feature of a periwig.

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toupee British  

/ ˈtuːpeɪ /

noun

1. a wig or hairpiece worn, esp by men, to cover a bald or balding place

2. (formerly) a prominent lock on a periwig, esp in the 18th century

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Etymology

Origin of toupee

1720–30; variant of toupet < French, equivalent to Old French to ( u ) p tuft (< Germanic; top ¹ ) + -et -et

Example Sentences

Hair installations or systems - such as wigs, toupees or extensions - and skin camouflage products such as pigmented fibre sprays may help to disguise the condition, according to the British Association of Dermatologists.

From BBC

I didn’t see a horse until 1984 when I got to work the Derby as a reporter for the first time and witnessed the wind carrying Howard Cosell’s toupee aloft.

From Salon

She smiled and stared at him as he dug his thick teeth into the late-autumn grass, a black toupee sliding forward off the top of his head.

From Seattle Times

It said teams were finding new blockages each day caused by unsuitable items, but having to root out troublesome toupees from drains was a "new one for us".

From BBC

The only healthy-looking aspect of his appearance is his “mink-like” toupee, which he shares with his brother, switching off month by month.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• hairpiece