well-coiffed
Meaning
Having carefully styled or arranged hair.
Structure
Usage
The guests at the gala were all impeccably dressed and well-coiffed.
He stepped out of the salon looking refreshed and well-coiffed.
The politician's well-coiffed appearance was frequently mentioned by the media.
Etymology
The word is a modern English compound adjective. Its core, 'coiffed', derives from the French verb coiffer, which entered English in the 17th century and originally meant 'to cover with a coif (a close-fitting cap)' before specializing to mean 'to arrange the hair'. The French term itself traces back to the Late Latin cofia, 'helmet, cap'. The adverbial element 'well', of Germanic origin, is a common intensifier in English compounds, indicating something is done skillfully or properly. Thus, 'well-coiffed' literally means 'having one's hair arranged in a good manner', directly linking the action of styling to a positive assessment of the result.
Analysis
- well: Old English; an adverb used here to form a compound adjective meaning 'in a good or proper manner'. - coiff: French (from coiffer 'to arrange hair'); the verb root meaning 'to dress or arrange hair'. - ed: Old English; a suffix forming past participles and adjectives from verbs.