kerchief

noun

ker·​chief ˈkər-chəf How to pronounce kerchief (audio)
-ˌchēf
plural kerchiefs ˈkər-chəfs How to pronounce kerchief (audio)
-ˌchēfs
also kerchieves ˈkər-ˌchēvz How to pronounce kerchief (audio)
1
: a square of cloth used as a head covering or worn as a scarf around the neck
2
kerchiefed
ˈkər-chəft How to pronounce kerchief (audio)
-ˌchēft
adjective

Examples of kerchief in a Sentence

tied the kerchief around her head to keep her hair out of her face dabbed the sweat on his brow with a kerchief
Recent Examples on the Web Related Dressed in a cowboy hat, bandana kerchief, vest and hot pink bell bottoms, the musician headed out to her New York City party in partnership with The Original Donut Shop Coffee, looking just like Robbie in several scenes from Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster film. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 26 Oct. 2023 The characters, unnamed, are drawn from that strange eternal medieval world of fantasy: knights, wizards, a king; peasants with faces like Leonardo grotesques, wearing kerchiefs or hoods. Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2023 Elder Scouts in kerchiefs hugged and clapped each other on the back; troop leaders and volunteers in loose shorts and wide-brimmed canvas hats marched through the various activity tents, greeting familiar faces and new ones. Anne Branigin, Washington Post, 10 Aug. 2023 Layer a beige dress over a striped long-sleeve tee and pair of white tights, slip on black Mary Jane ballet flats, and accessorize with a blue striped kerchief. Leah Campano, Seventeen, 22 June 2023 Wearing colorful kerchiefs, blouses, skirts and aprons, the women sat on one side across from the men. Dan Bilefsky, New York Times, 4 June 2023 The teen wore a black suit and blue bow tie and matching blue kerchief, but kept the look modern with a pair of bright white sneakers. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 11 June 2023 Less than half a mile farther along the river, away from the crowd, is Estilo Campo, a fantastic parrilla (an Argentine steakhouse, which literally means open grill) with river views and waiters wearing kerchiefs and belts in the style of gauchos, to the delight of tourists. Maria Cramer, New York Times, 18 May 2023 And as early as 1617, when the teenage Velázquez painted a kitchen maid with umber skin and a white kerchief, Spain clearly had developed an art market for paintings depicting people of color. Jason Farago, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kerchief.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English courchef, from Anglo-French coverchef, cuerchief, from coverir to cover + chef head — more at chief

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of kerchief was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near kerchief

Cite this Entry

“Kerchief.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kerchief. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

kerchief

noun
ker·​chief ˈkər-chəf How to pronounce kerchief (audio)
-ˌchēf
plural kerchiefs -chəfs How to pronounce kerchief (audio)
-ˌchēfs
also kerchieves -ˌchēvz How to pronounce kerchief (audio)
1
: a square of cloth worn as a head covering or as a scarf
2

More from Merriam-Webster on kerchief

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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