topknot

noun

top·​knot ˈtäp-ˌnät How to pronounce topknot (audio)
plural topknots
1
: an ornament (such as a knot of ribbons or a pompom) forming a headdress or worn as part of a coiffure
2
: an arrangement of hair high on the head and usually in a knot
The dome light lit the inside of the car like a shadow box, but the car was packed with bags nearly to the ceiling and Mrs. Richardson could only just make out the faint silhouette of Mia's head, the messy topknot perched at the crown of her head.Celeste Ng
3
: a crest of feathers or tuft of hair on the top of the head

Examples of topknot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web To complete the ensemble, Gomez wore her hair slicked into a ballerina topknot and wore red satin slingback pumps that precisely matched the color of her gown. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 8 Jan. 2024 The heiress and icon, 41, rocked a long, glittering gunmetal gown with keyhole cutout, plus a half topknot atop her long, pin-straight blonde locks. Marisa Sullivan, Peoplemag, 5 Feb. 2023 Kardashian seemed to wear no makeup and had her hair up in a messy topknot. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 Aug. 2023 Finally, Wilson suggests one final fierce touch: accessorizing your topknot with statement hairpins and clips. Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 4 Aug. 2022 Her long brunette hair is half tied into a topknot. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 1 Aug. 2023 Katie Holmes, a woman who can do no fashion wrong, was just photographed on the streets of New York City with her hair in a voluminous messy topknot, the quintessential lazy-but-keep-it-cute style of the aughts. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 10 Aug. 2023 Get the tutorial from Missy Sue. 05 Reverse Braided Bun Dress up that topknot with a reverse braid that will look cool and keep it in place. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 6 July 2023 View full post on Instagram Alix secured her hair in a sleek, high topknot with a few strands framing her face, and carried a small cream shoulder bag. Seventeen, 7 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'topknot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1688, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of topknot was circa 1688

Dictionary Entries Near topknot

Cite this Entry

“Topknot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/topknot. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

topknot

noun
top·​knot ˈtäp-ˌnät How to pronounce topknot (audio)
: a tuft of feathers or hair on the top of the head
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