comb

noun \ ˈkōm \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of comb

1 a : a toothed instrument used especially for adjusting, cleaning, or confining hair

b : a structure resembling such a comb; especially : any of several toothed devices used in handling or ordering textile fibers

c : currycomb

2 a : a fleshy crest on the head of the domestic chicken and other domestic birds

b : something (such as the ridge of a roof) resembling the comb of a cock

3 : honeycomb

—

combed

play \ˈkōmd\ adjective

—

comblike

play \ˈkōm-ˌlīk\ adjective

See comb defined for English-language learners

See comb defined for kids

Recent Examples of comb from the Web

All are baleen whales, possessing a mouth full of comb-like plates, rather than teeth.

— kathryn miles, BostonGlobe.com, "Can anyone save the North Atlantic right whale?," 11 Apr. 2018
To recreate this look, use a round brush to dry your hair and then a teasing comb to add volume to each section.

— victoria rodriguez, Seventeen, "10 Graduation Hairstyles You Can Rock With Your Cap," 4 Apr. 2018
Monique started the cut by using a number two clipper guard (a pair of comb-like blades that range from numbers one through eight — the smaller the number, the shorter the hair will turn out).

— wendy sy, Allure, "This Holographic, Floral-Patterned Buzz Cut Is the Prettiest Short Hairstyle for Spring," 19 Mar. 2018
But Kiffin has given us no other option but take a fine-toothed comb to his bracket.

— eric single, SI.com, "I Don't Believe That Lane Kiffin Called UMBC Over Virginia," 17 Mar. 2018
Karen Sokoloff finds a certain satisfaction in picking lice off a person's scalp, smoothing olive oil into the hair strands and carefully pulling a metal comb through them to catch the stragglers.

— karen weintraub, Scientific American, "Revenge of the Super Lice," 1 June 2017
In a brief press conference, Austin Police Chief Brian Manley Police said residents within a half-mile radius should stay inside as police comb the area for additional bombs.

— margaret hartmann, Daily Intelligencer, "Fourth Explosion in Austin Leaves 2 Men Seriously Injured," 19 Mar. 2018
Despite the occasional pain (pulling too tight on my scalp), the braids were a welcome break from my rest-of-the-year hot-comb life.

— mariah smith, Allure, "The Winding Road: 4 Hair Braiders Open Up About the Significance of Braids," 13 Feb. 2018
And growing Norwegian towns, along with export markets, would have created a booming demand for hides and furs to fight off the cold, as well as antlers to make useful items like combs.

— kiona n. smith, Ars Technica, "Climate change melting pre-Viking artifacts out of Norway’s glaciers," 24 Jan. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of comb

Middle English, from Old English camb; akin to Old High German kamb comb, Greek gomphos tooth

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

Other Fashion Terms

bodkin, chignon, cowlick, eau de toilette, imperial, pocket, pomander, tonsorial

comb

verb

Definition of comb

transitive verb

1 : to draw a comb through for the purpose of arranging or cleaning

2 : to pass across with a scraping or raking action

3 a : to eliminate (as with a comb) by a thorough going-over

b : to search or examine systematically

police are combing the city

4 : to use in a combing action

intransitive verb

1 of a wave or its crest : to roll over or break into foam

2 : to make a thorough search

comb through the classified ads

See comb defined for English-language learners

Examples of comb in a Sentence

He combed back his hair.
The wool is combed before being spun into yarn.
We combed the beach for shells.

Recent Examples of comb from the Web

After Johnny’s death in 2003, his son John Carter combed through the archives and chose the best poems, letters and unfinished lyrics before reaching out to artists individually.

— karen mizoguchi, PEOPLE.com, "Watch Newlyweds Kacey Musgraves & Ruston Kelly Breathe New Life into Johnny Cash's 1970 Love Letter," 12 Apr. 2018
Speaking of roots, note that his hair is combed back, showing no signs of roots.

— adam hurly, GQ, "Here's How to Pull off Robert Pattinson's Hair," 11 Apr. 2018
In contrast, other research combing national survey data with individual browser histories estimates that about 25% of American adults (65 million) visited a fake news site in the final weeks of the election.

— sander van der linden, Scientific American, "Psychological Weapons of Mass Persuasion," 10 Apr. 2018
Yet the genetic profiles of the vast majority of them remain in a DNA offender database and can be combed by law enforcement to search for suspects in crimes.

— maura dolan, latimes.com, "California Supreme Court lets stand controversial law allowing DNA collection upon arrest," 3 Apr. 2018
The Playa Restoration team stays to help the department of public works comb the desert for anything left behind and restore it to its pre-Burning Man condition.

— sam spengler, Smithsonian, "How One Museum Curator Is Bringing Burning Man Out of the Desert," 30 Mar. 2018
Over four days, the officials interviewed central office staff and combed through the district's organizational charts.

— mandy mclaren, The Courier-Journal, "Pollio pushes for a major shakeup after report finds JCPS' central office is dysfunctional," 27 Mar. 2018
Typically, once the classroom portion of the course has ended, the agency will blow up a car on a demolition range using a real car bomb, and the students will comb the range afterward for parts and pieces of the device that exploded.

— manny fernandez, serge f. kovaleski and john ismay, New York Times, "For Austin Bomb Investigators, Each New Blast Offers New Clues," 20 Mar. 2018
Palau began by adding extensions to each model’s hair for extreme length, then combed it back taut with Redken’s Hardwear 16 Super-Strong Hair Gel before weaving it into a three-strand plait beginning at the nape and ending at the hip.

— lauren valenti, Vogue, "Alexander McQueen Turns the Dominatrix Braid Into a Paris Fashion Week Fetish," 5 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of comb

14th century

comb Synonyms

comb

abbreviation

Definition of comb

1 combination; combined; combining

2 combustion

COMB Defined for English Language Learners

comb

noun

Definition of comb for English Language Learners

: a flat piece of plastic or metal with a row of thin teeth that is used for making hair neat
: a device that is used for separating or straightening fibers (such as wool fibers)
: a soft part on top of the head of some birds (such as chickens)

comb

verb

Definition of comb for English Language Learners

: to smooth, arrange, or separate (hair or fibers) with a comb
: to search (something) very thoroughly in order to find something

COMB Defined for Kids

comb

noun \ ˈkōm \

Definition of comb for Students

1 : a toothed implement used to smooth and arrange the hair or worn in the hair to hold it in place

2 : a soft fleshy part on top of the head of a chicken or some related birds

3 : honeycomb

comb

verb

Definition of comb for Students

combed; combing

1 : to smooth, arrange, or untangle with a comb

2 : to search over or through carefully

Police combed the building in search of evidence.

Learn More about comb

See words that rhyme with comb Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for comb Spanish Central: Translation of comb Nglish: Translation of comb for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of comb for Arabic speakers

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comb

Definition of comb

combed

comblike

Recent Examples of comb from the Web

Origin and Etymology of comb

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comb

Definition of comb

Examples of comb in a Sentence

Recent Examples of comb from the Web

First Known Use of comb

comb Synonyms

Synonyms

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comb

Definition of comb

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COMB Defined for English Language Learners

comb

Definition of comb for English Language Learners

comb

Definition of comb for English Language Learners

COMB Defined for Kids

comb

Definition of comb for Students

comb

Definition of comb for Students

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