hairpin

1 of 2

noun

hair·​pin ˈher-ˌpin 

1

: a pin to hold the hair in place

specifically : a long U-shaped pin

2

: something shaped like a hairpin

specifically : a sharp U-shaped turn in a road

hairpin

2 of 2

adjective

: having the shape of a hairpin

a hairpin turn

also : having hairpin turns

a steep hairpin road

Examples of hairpin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But in the Corvette, its primary purpose is to provide instant, quick response in every corner, from the bottom to the top, something that particularly impressed Hildebrand in the extremely low-speed hairpins. — Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 22 June 2026

The road itself is a little rough—it's partially paved and involves a few hairpin turns—but the payoff is worth it. — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2026

Adjective

Like many shy people, Seydoux seems to be most at home in her own thoughts — and to speak to her is to enjoy the hairpin turn, the unexpected approach. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 18 May 2026

Alamo has been on a hairpin trigger since the robbery. — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 11 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1771, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1887, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

hairpin

noun

hair·​pin

-ˌpin

1

: a U-shaped pin to hold the hair in place

2

: something shaped like a hairpin

especially : an extremely sharp turn in a road

hairpin adjective

Medical Definition

hairpin

noun

hair·​pin ˈha(ə)r-ˌpin, ˈhe(ə)r- 

variants also hairpin loop

: a region in single-stranded RNA or DNA that is double-stranded due to pairing between purine and pyrimidine bases in adjacent sequences of the RNA or DNA that are complementary and inverted