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

His hourlong route up the narrow mountain roads includes hairpin turns and no room for error. —Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026

The wreckage and cargo of a tractor-trailer litters the hillside above a hairpin curve on the west side of Wolf Creek Pass. —Logan Smith, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026

Adjective

This highway is one of the world’s most dangerous roads, with hairpin turns, narrow and steep descents and high risk for mudslides and rockslides. —Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 28 Apr. 2026

By using 4×3-phase hairpin windings, the new motor can pack more copper into the same space. —Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 12 Apr. 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