Etymology 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 (“mug, hood, cap”), from Proto-Germanic *kuppijǭ (“cap, hat, bonnet, headpiece”), Proto-Germanic *kuppō (“vat, mug, cup”), from pre-Germanic *kubná-, from Proto-Indo-European *gup- (“round object, knoll”), from Proto-Indo-European *gew- (“to bend, curve, arch, vault”). Cognate with Middle High German kupfe (“cap, headgear, helmet”).
1
A hairdo.
He decides to muscle in on the act, styling his hair after Kirk’s signature coif (“the stupidest haircut I’ve ever seen,” says one character), trolling college girls on social media and proclaiming himself a “master-debater”.2025 August 7, Zach Vasquez, “From puppy murder to racist podcasts: South Park’s anti-deportation episode is utterly ruthless TV”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
2
Historical 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.
3
Historical A similar item of mail armour covering the head.
4
An official headdress, such as that worn by certain judges in England.
From point and saucy ermine down / To the plain coif and russet gown.1744, Henry Brooke, The Temple of Hymen:
c. 1620, Francis Bacon, letter of advice to Sir George Villiers The judges, […] although they are not of the first magnitude, nor need be of the degree of the coif, yet are they considerable.
Etymology From Middle English coifen, from Old French coifier, from the noun (see above).
1
To style or arrange hair.
Circe’s this craft, the trim-coifed goddess.1925, Ezra Pound, Canto I:
But winter can also be judged by the prominence of another scourge, one that is especially irksome in a city that places a premium on being well-groomed and immaculately coiffed: hat hair.2003 February 17, Elissa Gootman, “A Chill Most Bitter: Learning to Accept Hat Hair”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 27 May 2015: