What does coiffured mean?
"Coiffured" is an adjective describing hair that has been deliberately and skilfully styled — neat, groomed, and usually elegant. It derives from the French verb "coiffer" (to dress the hair), itself rooted in "coiffe," a covering for the head, which entered English via Old French. The word is most at home in descriptive writing about appearance: a society hostess, a newsreader, or a show-dog might all be described as perfectly or immaculately coiffured. It is a somewhat formal, even literary choice, more common in British English than American, and it often carries a hint of polish or fastidiousness — someone coiffured has clearly invested effort in their look. Its close relative "coiffed" is shorter and more frequent in everyday use, but "coiffured" retains a slightly grander, more elaborate flavour, making it a useful word when precision of register matters.
adjectiveHaving the hair neatly or elaborately styled; carefully arranged in appearance. Used chiefly to describe a person's hair, often implying a polished or somewhat formal elegance.
- (of hair) styled, arranged, or groomed in an elegant or careful way
"She arrived at the gala perfectly coiffured, every strand in place."
"The television presenter appeared immaculately coiffured before every broadcast."
"A row of perfectly coiffured poodles waited backstage at the dog show."
Borrowed straight from French, where 'coiffer' originally meant to cover the head — so a coiffured head was once literally one wearing a headdress.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of coiffured
"Coiffured" comes from the French verb "coiffer" (to style or cover the hair), from "coiffe," meaning a headdress or head-covering, which traces back through Old French — possibly ultimately to Late Latin "cofia." English borrowed the noun "coiffure" in the 17th century, and the related verb "coif" earlier still; the participial adjective "coiffured" arose later as a fuller variant of "coiffed." Its closest relatives in English are "coiffure" and "coiffeur," both direct borrowings from French.
How coiffured is actually used
"Coiffured" is slightly more formal and literary than "coiffed," and it appears more often in British English. It is used attributively and predicatively and frequently carries a faint connotation of fastidiousness or social polish.
Easily confused with coiffured
"Coiffed" is the shorter, more common form for styled hair, while "coiffured" is a fuller variant carrying the same meaning.