hairpin

American  

[hair-pin] / ˈhɛərˌpɪn /

noun

• hairpins
  plural

1. a slender U -shaped piece of wire, shell, etc., used by women to fasten up the hair or hold a headdress.

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adjective

1. (of a road, curve in a road, etc.) sharply curved back, as in a U shape.

   a hairpin turn.

hairpin British  

/ ˈhɛəˌpɪn /

noun

1. a thin double-pronged pin used by women to fasten the hair

2. (modifier) (esp of a bend in a road) curving very sharply

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• hairpins
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of hairpin

First recorded in 1770–80; hair + pin

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Explanation

A hairpin is a small clip or pin that's used to secure hair in place. A bride's fancy braided hairdo usually requires many hairpins and plenty of hairspray to hold it. A bobby pin is one type of hairpin, a small bent piece of metal that pins strands of hair against the scalp. Most hairpins share this narrow, bent shape, and it's from this sharp angle that the term "hairpin turn" gets its name. A bend in a road that doubles back in a tight curve is a hairpin turn or a hairpin bend. This slang meaning dates from the early 20th century.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hairpin hairpins

Norris suggested removing turns 18 and 19 and "making a straight line from 17 to 20, have a much wider entry like Austin Turn One or Turn 10 in Austin... big hairpin".

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

The series of switchbacks with hairpin turns offer a satisfying run up to Pine Mountain Summit.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

Steep ascents, hairpin bends and stretches of unpaved road have added to the difficulties facing this tourist town, whose visitors have unsurprisingly stopped visiting while fish sales have stalled.

From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026

Russell easily passed him back down the straight to the hairpin of Turn 14 before Hamilton attacked and passed him around the outside of Turn One at the start of the second lap.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2026

He pulled the lid securely over his body and clutched at his mothers precious hairpin, waiting for his heart to stop racing.

From "A Tangle of Knots" by Lisa Graff

She wears a gold wreath, and has hairpins of both gold and silver.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026

But when Arabidopsis seedlings sense they're under attack, special enzymes called RNA helicases are produced that unzip the hairpins so the ribosomes can pass through and continue scanning along the mRNA molecule.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2023

The Carlisle gems were found along with more than 700 items, including 105 glass beads, pottery, weapons, coins, clay figures, animal bones, tiles stamped with the imperial mark and some 100 hairpins.

From New York Times ● May 1, 2023

The climbing is tightly packed, starting with the Montvernier hairpins, then continuing with the crossing of the Telegraphe and Galibier passes.

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2022

They let me put my hair up but made a lot of fuss over how to fix it, because no one trusts me with hairpins.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein

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