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

• coiffure
• cut
• do
• hairdo
• hairstyle

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

Brian Jones’ iconic fringe haircut flew thousands of miles to California, where his and the band’s look quickly alighted on the Byrds, Love and the Jefferson Airplane. —Jem Aswad, Variety, 17 Apr. 2024

Luckily, there's no shortage of modern-day inspiration for the classic haircut. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2024

Strong winds kicked up Sunday, giving the waves a haircut. —Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2024

Was the Princess in hiding because of a bad haircut? —Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2024

Talk about guys who believed in old-fashioned ways, from short haircuts to discipline at an extreme level. —Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024

All the little things necessary to keep a household running fall on me, like play dates, haircuts, vet appointments, finances, calling service people, refilling paper towels. —Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2024

And many tech companies surge after going public as retail investors buy the hype, then take a haircut as interest fades. —Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024

Keep reading for everything to know about setting—and adhering to—a haircut schedule, according to your hair type, style, and needs. —Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 28 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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