coiffed
UK[kwɑːft]US[kwɑːft]
adj
(of hair) arranged in an elaborate or stylish way
Morpheme Breakdown
coiff
ed
coiff
to arrange hair
ed
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'coiffed' is a direct borrowing from French, where the past participle 'coiffé' functions as an adjective. Its journey begins with the Late Latin 'cofia', meaning a helmet or cap, which evolved in Old French to 'coife', signifying a headdress or cap worn close to the skull. The verb 'coiffer' developed from this, meaning to dress or arrange the hair, as one would arrange a cap upon the head. The English adjective 'coiffed' retains this specialized sense, describing hair that has been carefully and artfully arranged, much like donning a precise and stylish headpiece.
Analysis
Structure: coiff (to arrange hair) + ed (adjective suffix)
- coiff: From French 'coiffer' (to arrange hair), from Old French 'coife' (a headdress, cap), from Late Latin 'cofia' (a helmet, cap).
- ed: A suffix forming adjectives from nouns or verbs, indicating having the characteristics of. From Old English '-ed', '-od', '-ad'.
Examples
She arrived at the gala with perfectly coiffed blonde hair.
The model's sleek, coiffed look was the work of a famous stylist.
Despite the windy weather, his hair remained neatly coiffed.