moustache
UK[məˈstɑːʃ]US[ˈmʌs.tæʃ]
n
a strip of hair left to grow above a man's upper lip.
Etymology
the word "moustache" entered english in the late 16th century from the french word of the same spelling. the french term was borrowed from italian "mostaccio", which itself derives from the medieval greek "moustaki", a diminutive of the ancient greek "mustax", meaning "upper lip" or "moustache". the ultimate origin is uncertain, but it is a distinctly mediterranean term for facial hair that english adopted wholesale to describe the specific style. its journey reflects cultural exchange and the borrowing of specialized vocabulary for which no native english term was as precise.
Analysis
this word is a loanword from french, adopted as a single lexical unit. it is not productively segmented using english morphemes.
Examples
he trimmed his bushy moustache carefully.
the character was easily identified by his distinctive handlebar moustache.
a thin line of moustache appeared on his upper lip.