Definition of COIFFURE

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First appearing in English in the 1630s, coiffure derives from the French verb coiffer, which can mean "to arrange (hair)" or "to cover with a coif (any of various close-fitting caps, such as that worn under a veil by a nun)." The word is now used as a somewhat fancy way of saying "hairdo." Be careful not to confuse it with "coiffeur," which refers to a man who works as a hairdresser (and of which "coiffeuse" is the female equivalent). You may also encounter "coif" used to mean "hairstyle" - in such cases, "coif" is operating as a shortened form of "coiffure."

Examples of coiffure in a Sentence

with his flashy suit and carefully sculpted coiffure, he looks like a slick car dealer

Recent Examples on the Web

Like a wry little echo chamber, the curls of paper showcase curls of hair in the same spectrum of tones common to both coiffures and photographic prints. — Leah Ollman, latimes.com, "How one artist turns old snapshots into poetic ‘Untold Stories’," 9 July 2019 But despite her inclination toward an ever-changing coiffure, Mother Monster’s platinum blonde locks are perhaps her most enduring lewk. — Roberta Gorin-paracka, Teen Vogue, "Lady Gaga's Colorist Patti Song on Achieving Her Signature Blonde Hair," 29 Dec. 2018 As Heidi might know, not only does Texas have fantastic vegan food and a burgeoning tech industry hub in Austin, but there’s also a lot of hair dye in a state famous for coiffures as big as its attitude. — Emily Bloch, Teen Vogue, "Here's What Texas Stylists Have to Say About Ted Cruz's "Hair Dye" Comment," 10 Sep. 2018 Everyone’s coiffure was sectioned and plaited and sculpted by Nena Soul Fly to depict ancient Nigerian styles; their baby hairs were laid down as an ode to modern-day black and Latino communities, says Lu. — Kate Branch, Vogue, "Musician Kelsey Lu Just Made a Perfume—And She’s Launching It at Her Next Show," 14 May 2018 While such glowing self-assuredness is the ultimate goal of any fresh coiffure, the issues of race and culture that weigh on hair like a tacky pomade don’t just vanish with a good shampoo. — Leilani Marie Labong, SFChronicle.com, "At the Culture of Hair salon, the mission is top of mind — and head," 5 July 2018 Kaia hit the runway yesterday, July 4, at the Valentino Haute Couture show in Paris, dressed in a gorgeous, show-stopping pink off-the-shoulder feathered gown with a seriously hair-raising coiffure to match. — Kara Nesvig, Teen Vogue, "Kaia Gerber Wears Dramatic Back-Combed Wig at Valentino Haute Couture Paris Show," 5 July 2018 That antagonist was played by actress Selena Gomez, who appeared in a black wig and dark makeup that some said was quite similar to Perry’s coiffure and look at the time. — Michael Gold, BostonGlobe.com, "Katy Perry and Taylor Swift’s ‘bad blood’ ended with an olive branch. Here’s how it started," 10 May 2018 Gotti, who died in prison 2002, likewise had a little glamour with his fondness for cameras and his carefully swept-back coiffure. — Jake Coyle, chicagotribune.com, "John Travolta dances his way through Cannes again with 'Gotti'," 16 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'coiffure.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.