coif

Meanings

Noun

• A hairdo.
• 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.
• A similar item of chain mail headgear covering the head.
• An official headdress, such as that worn by certain judges in England.

Verb

• To style or arrange hair.

Origin

• 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, from Proto-Germanic *kuppijǭ, Proto-Germanic *kuppō, from pre-Germanic *kubná-, from Proto-Indo-European *gup-, from Proto-Indo-European *gew-, *gū-. Cognate with Middle High German kupfe.
• From Middle English coifen, from Old French coifier, from the noun (see above).