headscarf

noun

head·​scarf ˈhed-ˌskärf 

plural headscarves ˈhed-ˌskärvz  also headscarfs

: a fabric covering for the head worn especially by women

… young, well-educated European Muslim women who wear the headscarf as a conscious, articulate choice …

—Timothy Garton Ash

The stereotypical fortuneteller, a wizened old woman in a fringed headscarf hunched over a crystal ball …

—Louise Erdich

The US Justice Department, for example, has supported the right of Muslim girls to wear headscarves in public schools.

—Robert O. Paxton

Examples of headscarf in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Female students were first required to wear hijabs, with colorful headscarves tolerated for a while. — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 15 Aug. 2026

Emma had what appeared to have one of the late monarch’s riding headscarves wrapped around her saddle. — Audrey Schmidt, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026

Fortunately, some of the season’s biggest runway trends—from bikini tops worn beyond the beach to silk headscarves and the return of capris—are finally in full swing, making now the perfect time to shake things up. — Amanda Le, InStyle, 31 July 2026

Fatma Chouchane, a volunteer at the Grand Mosque, lamented restrictions on women wearing Muslim headscarves in French schools and some workplaces. — ABC News, 18 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1688, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for headscarf

• scarf
• scharf