crew cut

American  

noun

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

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crew cut British  

noun

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

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crew cut Idioms  

1. 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]

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Usage

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]

Other Word Forms

• crew-cut
  adjective
• crewcut
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of crew cut

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Compare meaning

How does crew-cut compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• crew cut vs. buzzcut

Example Sentences

The JetBlue crew cut short the planned flight to Florida and landed at Denver International Airport.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 13, 2023

Remove the slipcase to take off Ender’s suit to reveal his crew cut and him dressed in standard blue military garb.

From Washington Times • Aug. 25, 2023

The crew cut a hole in the wall of that set to pull the camera back through it, leading the digital fly before becoming a fully computer-animated scene within the wall.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2023

With his crew cut and Virginia drawl, he came across to many as a charming and affable country squire.

From Washington Post • Mar. 16, 2022

But then how could a stiff crew cut get mussed up?

From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier