haircut

noun

hair·​cut ˈher-ˌkət 

plural haircuts

1

: the act or process of cutting and shaping the hair

I need a haircut.

This is a great story for any kid who is worried about getting a haircut.

—Jenny Williams

2

: the way in which someone's hair is cut and shaped

a short haircut

a stylish haircut

Taylor Swift uploaded an Instagram video of herself getting a bob haircut in London in front of a group of cheering people.

—Meirav Devash

3

finance : a reduction in the value of an asset

… El Paso's shareholders could be all but wiped out and bondholders could take a big haircut.

—William P. Barrett

Square revealed Friday pricing at $11 to $13 a share for its anticipated IPO, giving the tech company at most a $4.2 billion valuation—at least a 30% haircut from its most recent valuation in the private market.

—Todd C. Frankel

Greece's finance minister has told lawmakers he sees three scenarios to resolve the debt crisis, including one involving an orderly default with a 50 percent haircut for bondholders, two Greek newspapers reported on Friday.

—Reuters

haircutter

ˈher-ˌkə-tər 

noun

plural haircutters

haircutting

ˈher-ˌkə-tiŋ 

noun

Synonyms of haircut

• hairdo
• hairstyle
• ponytail
• coiffure
• cut

Examples of haircut in a Sentence

The girls got haircuts yesterday.

He just had a haircut.

Do you like my haircut?

Recent Examples on the Web

Additionally, the specter of broadening the sales tax base — to include untaxed services such as haircuts, lawn care and auto repair, for example — remains a favorite among the revenue-seeking set here. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026

More and more people are growing out and leaning into their shimmering silver, and the only thing cooler than embracing the color is figuring out the haircut that makes the most of it in a way that’s very you. — Marci Robin, Allure, 17 July 2026

The Touched by an Angel star, 66, took the plunge and decided to get her shortest haircut yet for the summer, and was not shy about sharing the results with her Instagram followers. — Michelle Lee, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026

The filmmaker’s mandate was for this kid to have a terrible haircut, something that was actually a challenge for the hair department. — Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for haircut

• abut
• catgut
• chesnut
• chestnut
• donut
• doughnut
• groundnut
• hindgut
• midgut
• precut
• rebut
• recut

Kids Definition

haircut

noun

hair·​cut -ˌkət 

1

: the act or process of cutting and shaping the hair

2

: hairdo

haircutter

-ˌkət-ər 

noun

haircutting

-ˌkət-iŋ 

noun