hairpin

American  

[hair-pin] / ˈhɛərˌpɪn /

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of hairpin

First recorded in 1770–80; hair + pin

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

It is a mountainous road with sharp turns, and an image shared by the emergency services appears to show it crashing near a hairpin bend.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

But he learned to master this new machine that could achieve insane speeds and execute hairpin turns while taking crystalline video.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Checking up before a tight hairpin—braking late, downshifting with the paddle shifters, turning hard into hairpin corners, the weight of the wheel growing heavy, the little engine piping at full spool.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

But Norris went off track on the exit of Turn One and came close to losing control at the hairpin a number of times.

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2025

He was curled up so tight, he could hardly move, and he was holding what he was pretty sure was his mother’s hairpin.

From "A Tangle of Knots" by Lisa Graff