quiff

¹ American  

[kwif] / kwɪf /

noun

Slang.

quiffs plural

1. a woman, especially one who is promiscuous.

---

quiff ² American  

[kwif] / kwɪf /

noun

British.

1. a lock or curl of hair brought forward over the forehead.

---

quiff British  

/ kwɪf /

noun

1. a prominent tuft of hair, esp one brushed up above the forehead

---

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• quiff
  plural
• quiffs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of quiff¹

First recorded in 1920–25; origin uncertain

Origin of quiff²

First recorded in 1885–90; origin uncertain

Explanation

A quiff is a brushed-back curl at the front of a person's head. The Belgian comic character Tintin is instantly recognizable with his blond quiff and his white dog, Snowy. A rockabilly hairstyle features an exaggerated quiff, a kind of cross between a pompadour and a flattop. The style first gained popularity among soldiers in the late 19th century, when the word was coined from unknown sources. Some experts guess at a connection with a regional meaning of quiff, "a puff of tobacco smoke." Others suspect a root shared with the French coiffe, or "hairstyle."

Example Sentences

Look, we know Paramount’s logo is a mighty mountaintop, but was the intent with Capt. Pike’s soaring gray quiff meant to be a brand shoutout?

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 16, 2022

All would make an effort to don their smartest suits and arrange their hair in a perfect quiff, but Praful was one step ahead.

From BBC • May 29, 2021

Akoy is dressed in skinny jeans and a roll-neck sweater, with a shaved neck but a big fat quiff.

From The Guardian • Feb. 15, 2020

Douglas is 40, with a quiff of reddish-brown hair and his father’s distinctively narrow facial features.

From New York Times • Oct. 19, 2019

It was as much part of him as his elaborate quiff.

From Mrs. Bindle Some Incidents from the Domestic Life of the Bindles by Jenkins, Hebert