What does coiffed mean?
Coiffed is an adjective describing someone whose hair has been neatly and carefully styled, giving an impression of polish and grooming. Derived from the verb 'to coif', which originally meant to cover or dress the hair, it entered English through French, where 'coiffer' means 'to do the hair' and 'coiffeur' means a hairdresser. In modern usage, 'coiffed' most often appears before nouns such as 'head' or 'hair' and is typically intensified — one speaks of a 'perfectly coiffed' news anchor or an 'immaculately coiffed' socialite. The word carries connotations of elegance and attention to appearance, though it can shade into gentle mockery when suggesting that too much effort has gone into a hairstyle. Its close relatives in English include 'coif', 'coiffeur', and 'coiffeuse', all tracing back to the same French source.
adjectiveHaving the hair neatly styled or arranged; often implying a polished, carefully groomed appearance. It is the past participle of the verb 'coif', now chiefly used attributively.
- (of a person's hair) neatly styled or arranged, especially so as to look polished or elegant; sometimes used ironically of overly elaborate hairstyles.
"The impeccably coiffed presenter glided onto the set."
"She arrived at the gala perfectly coiffed and dressed to impress."
"The senator's immaculately coiffed head bobbed above the crowd of reporters."
Every time you say 'coiffed' you're echoing the French for a hairdo — the same root that gave English both 'coiffeur' and, by way of a twist, the hairstyle 'quiff'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of coiffed
'Coiffed' comes from the French verb 'coiffer', meaning 'to dress or style the hair', which derives from 'coiffe', a woman's headdress or hair covering, itself from Old French 'cofe'. The Old French term likely traces back further, possibly via Late Latin, but the details are uncertain. English borrowed the related noun 'coif' — a close-fitting cap — in the medieval period, and from the same family come 'coiffeur' and 'coiffeuse' (male and female hairdressers) and probably the informal 'quiff', all sharing the notion of dressing the hair.
Related word forms
How coiffed is actually used
'Coiffed' is almost always found as an attributive adjective modifying nouns like 'head' or 'hair', and it frequently appears intensified by adverbs such as 'perfectly', 'immaculately', or 'carefully'. The register is somewhat formal or literary, and the word can carry a faintly ironic connotation when describing someone whose appearance seems fussily or artificially groomed.
Easily confused with coiffed
A 'coffer' is a chest or box for storing valuables (or a decorative sunken panel in a ceiling), whereas 'coiffed' refers to having styled hair.