crimpiest

Crimpiest is the superlative of the adjective crimpy, describing whatever has the most crimps — the tightest, most numerous waves or zigzags along its length. It appears most often in two settings. In casual speech it describes hair that has become especially frizzy, kinked, or crinkled, often as the result of humidity or a perm gone exuberant. In the wool trade it carries a more precise, complimentary sense: fleece whose fibres show the greatest number of crimps per inch, which indicates fineness and quality, so the crimpiest merino staples command attention from buyers. The word belongs to the same family as crimp, crimped, and crimper, all tracing back to Old English and Germanic roots associated with bending or folding. Informal in register but well established, crimpiest offers a vivid way to describe texture, whether you are lamenting unruly hair on a humid day or praising premium wool.

Crimpiest is the superlative form of 'crimpy', meaning having the most crimps or the tightest waves; most tightly crinkled or frizzed in appearance.

Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.

Etymology of crimpiest

Crimpiest derives from crimpy, an adjective built on the verb crimp, which came into Middle English from Old Norse or Middle Low German sources related to curling, bending, or pinching. The superlative suffix -iest was added following the regular pattern for adjectives ending in -y. Its Germanic relatives include words connected to hooking and bending rather than any Latin or Greek root.

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Usage notes

Crimpiest is an informal superlative, used chiefly in everyday talk about hair and in the technical vocabulary of wool grading.

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