headdress

noun

head·​dress ˈhed-ˌdres 

: an often elaborate covering for the head

Illustration of headdress

Synonyms of headdress

• hat
• cap
• helmet

Examples of headdress in a Sentence

The dancers wore ceremonial headdresses.

most of the acrobats riding the horses and elephants wore some sort of fancy headdress

Recent Examples on the Web

All the exquisite details—the man’s glowing salmon-pink tunic, the cherrylike tip of his headdress, the fluffy tassels—are an excuse for pure visual stimulation. — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 13 July 2026

There was so much color, all these beautiful headdresses, and the male dancers were stomping their legs to mimic the drums. — Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026

In the center sits Kuten La, whom attendants drape with 80 pounds of ceremonial armor, before crowning him with a towering headdress of gold and mirrors, and securing a silk cord tightly around his throat. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 July 2026

He was surrounded by Iranian flags, Egyptian fans donning King Tutankhamun headdresses and people who had made entire outfits out of their nation’s colors — all mixed among Pride flags. — Sam McDowell 1, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1645, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for headdress

• abbess
• abscess
• access
• address
• assess
• caress
• confess
• depress
• digress
• distress
• egress
• excess

Kids Definition

headdress

noun

head·​dress ˈhed-ˌdres 

: a covering or ornament for the head