coif

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English

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Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From Middle English coif, coife, coyf, coyfe, coyffe, from Old French coife, coiffe, from Late Latin cofia, from Proto-West Germanic *kuffju, related to Old High German kupphia, kupha, kupfe (mug, hood, cap), from Proto-Germanic *kuppijǭ (cap, hat, bonnet, headpiece), Proto-Germanic *kuppō (vat, mug, cup), from pre-Germanic *kubná-, from Proto-Indo-European *gup- (round object, knoll), from Proto-Indo-European *gew- (to bend, curve, arch, vault). Cognate with Middle High German kupfe (cap, headgear, helmet).

Noun

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coif (plural coifs)

  1. A hairdo.
  2. (historical) A hood; a close-fitting cap covering much of the head, widespread until the 18th century; after that worn only by small children and country women.
  3. (historical) A similar item of chain mail headgear covering the head.
    Coordinate terms: aventail, camail
  4. An official headdress, such as that worn by certain judges in England.
    • 1744, Henry Brooke, The Temple of Hymen:
      From point and saucy ermine down / To the plain coif and russet gown.
    • c. 1620, Francis Bacon, letter of advice to Sir George Villiers
      The judges, [] although they are not of the first magnitude, nor need be of the degree of the coif, yet are they considerable.
Derived terms
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Translations
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Etymology 2

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From Middle English coifen, from Old French coifier, from the noun (see above).

Verb

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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.
Translations
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Anagrams

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Romanian

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Etymology

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Inherited from Late Latin cofia, from Proto-West Germanic *kuffju. Compare French coiffe.

Noun

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coif n (plural coifuri)

  1. casque

Declension

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See also

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