hairstyle

American  

Or hair style

noun

1. a style of cutting, arranging, or combing the hair; hairdo; coiffure.

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hairstyle British  

/ ˈhɛəˌstaɪl /

noun

1. a particular mode of arranging, cutting, or setting the hair

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• hairstylist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of hairstyle

First recorded in 1910–15; hair + style

Explanation

A hairstyle is the way you get your hair cut or how you arrange it. If you like to shave the sides of your head and gel up the rest of your hair in a spiky mohawk, that's your hairstyle. If your hair stylist or barber says, "Do you want your usual hairstyle?" it means they wonder if you'd like the same crew cut or bob you got last time. A fancy hairstyle, which you can also call a hairdo, might just be for a special occasion: "I'll have a curly hairstyle for the prom, how about you?"

Example Sentences

We can also talk about the crop tops and the hairstyle …

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

Underneath Mr Fantasy's black, shoulder-length wig - a hairstyle that's been compared to Shrek character Lord Farquaad - it's hard to deny he and Apa share a few traits.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

Says Gemmill, “We always tell the actors, pick shoes that are comfortable because you're going to wear them all year, and pick a hairstyle that you like because you're not going to change it.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Actor Michael Douglas, a longtime Riley friend who was on hand on Sunday, says Riley's trademark swept-back hairstyle inspired the look for his 1987 Oscar-winning role as banker Gordon Gekko in "Wall Street."

From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026

Her hair was combed over one ear, a hairstyle I’ve never liked, and as she walked she gave off a terrible musky scent that floated on the air, as insistent as a moan.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

Related Words

• braid
• dreadlocks
• haircut
• hairdo
• headdress
• ponytail