headdress

noun

head·​dress ˈhed-ˌdres How to pronounce headdress (audio)
: an often elaborate covering for the head

Illustration of headdress

Illustration of headdress

Examples of headdress in a Sentence

The dancers wore ceremonial headdresses. most of the acrobats riding the horses and elephants wore some sort of fancy headdress
Recent Examples on the Web In costuming her, West used medieval references, particularly in her headdress. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 In the 1960s, a man wearing a headdress rode the horse. Noreen Nasir, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2024 The kaffiyeh is a traditional Arab headdress that has come to symbolize solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Leo Sands, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2024 On a screen, images of Jonas in the garb of a belly dancer or wearing a headdress or various other costumes appear on a monitor fleetingly, seemingly trapped in squares that keep rolling downward, as if demanding those watching to be conscious of the effort of perception. Susan Dominus Emiliano Granado, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Ahead of the 2020 season, the Chiefs barred fans from wearing headdresses or face paint referencing or appropriating Native American culture in Arrowhead Stadium, though some still have. Noreen Nasir, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2024 Many of these stereotypical views were popular in the 1950s and could involve depicting Native Americans as one monolith with red skin, all wearing full headdresses with little else, and using archaic weapons and tools in the 1800s as European immigrants arrived. Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2024 Along the Fremont Street pedestrian mall, under signs that advertised a steak and lobster dinner for $13.99, pairs of flamingo girls lingered in their flamboyant headdresses and lingerie, chatting up guys to have their picture taken with them. Billy Witz Sinna Nasseri, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2024 Olmos was commissioned to make a vanilla headdress to distinguish Olarte in her new role. Leila Miller, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'headdress.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1645, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of headdress was in 1645

Dictionary Entries Near headdress

Cite this Entry

“Headdress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headdress. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

headdress

noun
head·​dress ˈhed-ˌdres How to pronounce headdress (audio)
: a covering or ornament for the head

More from Merriam-Webster on headdress

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