hairdo

American  

[hair-doo] / ˈhɛərˌdu /

noun

plural

hairdos

1. the style in which a person's hair is cut, arranged, and worn; coiffure.

2. the hair itself, especially when newly or elaborately arranged.

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hairdo British  

/ ˈhɛəˌduː /

noun

1. the arrangement of a person's hair, esp after styling and setting

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Etymology

Origin of hairdo

First recorded in 1920–25; hair + do ¹

Explanation

A hairdo is what a stylist gives you when he cuts and styles your hair. You might go to the salon to get a fancy hairdo before your cousin's wedding. Hairdo is an informal word for "hairstyle." It's the way your hair is cut, dried, and arranged on your head, especially if there's some effort put into it. The way your hair looks when you roll out of bed in the morning isn't a hairdo, and pulling it back into a ponytail or covering it with a bandanna isn't a hairdo either. The elaborate beehive piled five inches high on your grandma's head? Now that's a hairdo.

Example Sentences

Never mind that it was said to have been dreamed up by kids at a soda fountain that Short frequented and referred mainly to her upswept hairdo.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

On the catwalk and in his own life, Valentino exuded luxury down to the last detail of his immaculate hairdo and caramel tan, often photographed with multiple pug dogs at his side.

From Barron's • Jan. 19, 2026

Her nightmarish laugh, gravity-defying hairdo and ferocious temper were part of a carefully constructed character that ranks as a comic masterpiece.

From BBC • Oct. 28, 2025

In the series’ final moments, Agatha appears to Billy as a wise-cracking ghost, sporting a silvery hairdo in her afterlife and pondering if this new shade of immortality looks good on her.

From Salon • Oct. 31, 2024

Mrs. Wexler leaped up, hand ready to strike; instead she straightened a framed flower print, patted her fashionable honey-blonde hairdo, and sat down again.

From "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin

Related Words

• haircut
• hairstyle