crew cut

noun

1. a haircut in which the hair is very closely cropped, with some extra length on top.

crew cut

noun

1. a closely cropped haircut for men, originating in the US

Other Word Forms

• crew-cut adjective
• crewcut adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of crew cut¹

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Word History and Origins

Origin of crew cut¹

C20: from the style of haircut worn by the boat crews at Harvard and Yale Universities

Idioms and Phrases

A closely cropped haircut, usually for a male, as in The boys all think crew cuts are cooler in summer. This term presumably originated in the navy (crew referring to a ship's crew), where such a haircut was mandatory. [c. 1940]

When To Use

What else does crew cut mean?

A crew cut is a short men's hairstyle, with shorter sides and a longer top. The style was popularized by Ivy League crew teams in the 1930s and is still associated with preppy fashion today, though it is an extremely widespread male hairstyle.How do you pronounce crew cut?[kroo kuht]