skinhead
UK[ˈskɪnhɛd]US[ˈskɪnhɛd]
n
A person, especially a young man, with very short hair or a shaved head, often associated with a subculture that sometimes promotes white supremacist or anti-immigrant views.
n
A member of a subculture originating in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, characterized by close-cropped hair, specific clothing (such as boots, jeans, and braces), and an interest in ska and reggae music, not necessarily associated with racism.
Morpheme Breakdown
skin
head
skin
head
Etymology
The term "skinhead" is a transparent English compound formed from two native Germanic words, "skin" and "head." Its literal meaning, "a head with (only) skin showing," vividly describes the characteristic shaved or closely cropped hairstyle that defines the subculture. The word emerged in the late 1960s in the UK, initially denoting working-class youths who adopted this distinctive look and a style influenced by Jamaican rude boys. Over time, the term's semantic journey became complex, as it splintered to refer both to the original apolitical or anti-racist music-focused subculture and, later and more prominently in some regions, to factions within it that adopted far-right, white supremacist ideologies, thereby significantly altering the word's connotations.
Analysis
Structure: skin + head
skin: From Old English scinn ("skin, hide"), of Germanic origin. In this compound, it functions as a modifier indicating a bare or exposed surface.
head: From Old English hēafod ("top of the body"), of Germanic origin. In this compound, it functions as the core noun denoting the part of the body.
Examples
The documentary explored the origins of the skinhead subculture in 1960s British working-class youth.
Police were monitoring a rally attended by a group of neo-Nazi skinheads.
He shaved his head completely, adopting the classic skinhead look.