coiffure
Americannoun
-
a style of arranging the hair.
-
a head covering; headdress.
verb (used with object)
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to arrange or comb (the hair) in a coiffure; to style (the hair).
-
to provide with a head covering or headdress; cover with a coiffure.
noun
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a hairstyle
-
an obsolete word for headdress
verb
Etymology
Origin of coiffure
First recorded in 1625–35; from French, equivalent to coiff(er) “to dress the hair” + -ure noun suffix; see origin at coif 2, -ure
Explanation
Coiffure is a fancy French word for hairdo. If you spend a lot of time working on your coiffure, you spend a lot of time in front of the mirror fixing your hair. The word coiffure originally meant hairstylist, now it means the style. The word implies an elaborate style, not just a regular haircut. A beehive hairdo, for instance, would be rightly called a coiffure. A military-style buzz cut is just a trim. The word can be shortened to coif, but be careful as this word has other meanings as well.
Vocabulary lists containing coiffure
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Shear Genius: Hairy Vocabulary
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Things Fall Apart
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Nézet-Séguin has given the Met a new look in his coiffure and attire.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 26, 2023
Sporting a handsome white coiffure and an inviting tone, Ciscomani spoke warmly about his immigrant parents, the price of milk and eggs, the fight against fentanyl and the accessibility of homeownership.
From Salon • Feb. 10, 2023
Her youthful style had given way to matronly suits, sensible shoes, quaint hats and an immutable, immovable gray coiffure.
From New York Times • Nov. 7, 2022
As for that famous shock of hair, Sims says he always carried a can of hairspray in his pocket should the presidential coiffure need a touch-up.
From BBC • Sep. 11, 2020
Her white hair—braided, perhaps; perhaps not—she touched as though replacing a wayward strand from an elegant coiffure.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
