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

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

The road’s hairpin turns and gravelly washes mean slow going; the trip from Marfa to Chinati Hot Springs will likely take around two hours. —Eva Frederick, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2026

Adjective

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

Get ready for hairpin turns, switchbacks, and steep climbs; the road starts in the south in Bascov, runs through the Făgăraș Mountains, and ends in the north in Cârțișoara. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 5 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