coif

Alternative forms

• coiffe

Etymology

From Middle French coiffer, from Late Latin cofia, of West Germanic origin. See also Middle High German kupfe (“cap”), Old High German kupphia (“cap”), Polish cipa (“vulva”), Tocharian kŭpŭ (vulva)^[1], Proto-Indo-European *gwheibh

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kwɑf/, /kɔɪf/
• Rhymes: -ɒf, -ɔɪf

• Homophone: quaff

Noun

coif (plural coifs)

1. A hairdo.
2. A hood; a close-fitting cap covering much of the head, widespread until XVIII century; after that worn only by small children and countrywomen.
3. An item of chain mail headgear.
4. An official headdress, such as that worn by certain judges in England.
   • H. Brocke

     From point and saucy ermine down / To the plain coif and russet gown.

   • Francis Bacon

     The judges, […] althout they are not of the first magnitude, nor need be of the degree of the coif, yet are they considerable.

Verb

coif (third-person singular simple present coifs, present participle coiffing or coifing, simple past and past participle coiffed or coifed)

1. (transitive) To style or arrange hair.
   • 1925, Ezra Pound, Canto I:

     Circe’s this craft, the trim-coifed goddess.

Anagrams

• FICO, fico, foci

Etymology

From Late Latin cofea. Compare French coiffe.

Noun

coif n (plural coifuri)

1. casque