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

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

Diana wore the pieces prolifically during her life, and even notably had the necklace refashioned into a headdress. — Freya Drohan, InStyle, 26 June 2026

Inside the iconic Cuban bar turned Scottish hotspot, the Tartan Army hollered as dancers dressed in green and yellow feather headdresses danced on top of the Ball & Chain bar. — Delia Rose Sauer, Miami Herald, 22 June 2026

Her male counterparts were also well represented, with pharaohs donning headdresses of various eras, their outfits playing on the contrast between polished, hammered, engraved and even beaded golds. — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 9 June 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