pompadour

noun

pom·​pa·​dour ˈpäm-pə-ˌdȯr How to pronounce pompadour (audio)
1
a
: a man's style of hairdressing in which the hair is combed into a high mound in front
b
: a woman's style of hairdressing in which the hair is brushed into a loose full roll around the face
2
: hair dressed in a pompadour
pompadoured adjective

Examples of pompadour in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Wade’s gurgling pompadour matches well with his roly-poly physique and go-with-the-flow personality. Hugh Hart, Los Angeles Times, 15 Nov. 2023 The strange pompadour hairstyle is bringing me right back to the 50s. Seventeen.com Editors, Seventeen, 28 Nov. 2022 The mug shot shows the suspect’s head lowered as if to obscure a jowly double-chin, eyes narrowed into a glare, lips firmly pursed and yellow pompadour swirled into a cotton-candy crown. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2023 Naturally, his signature pompadour was supported with wire. Elle Timms, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2023 The Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is thirty-eight years old and slender, with thick black hair, receding a bit at the temples, swept up into something approaching a pompadour. Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2023 After filming for the new movie began in October, Elordi was spotted wearing his version of Elvis's classic attire in Toronto — a white blazer with black trim, a black dress shirt, dark pants, and sunglasses, along with Elvis' famous pompadour hairstyle. Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 10 Jan. 2023 Elordi's costume for his role as the king of rock 'n roll included a white blazer with black trim, a black dress shirt, dark pants and sunglasses, along with Elvis' famous pompadour hairstyle. Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 4 Nov. 2022 Seated in her chair in her Beverly Hills salon were A-listers as disparate as Jimi Hendrix, Nancy Reagan, Sharon Tate and Lucille Ball; her work on Elvis Presley ensured that his fans’ eyes were focused as much on his jet-black pompadour as on his gyrating hips. New York Times, 14 May 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pompadour.' 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

Marquise de Pompadour

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of pompadour was in 1872

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near pompadour

pomp

pompadour

Pompadour

Cite this Entry

“Pompadour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pompadour. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

pompadour

noun
pom·​pa·​dour ˈpäm-pə-ˌdō(ə)r How to pronounce pompadour (audio)
-ˌdȯ(ə)r
: a hairdo in which the hair is combed high over the forehead
also : hair dressed in this style

Biographical Definition

Pompadour

biographical name

Pom·​pa·​dour ˈpäm-pə-ˌdȯr How to pronounce Pompadour (audio)
-ˌdu̇r
Madame de 1721–1764 Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson; mistress of Louis XV
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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