toupee

Meaning

1. A wig of false hair worn to cover a bald spot, especially as worn by a man.
2. (obsolete) A small tuft; a curl or artificial lock of hair.
3. (obsolete) A small wig, or a toppiece of a wig, worn by both sexes.

Synonyms

hairpiece

toupe

wig

postiche

switch

topknot

false hair

crest

toupée

periwig

peruke

Translations

Toupet

tupé

toupet

peluquín

toupet

postiche

perruquí

faux toupet

toupet

bisoñé

postizo

peluca de hombre

eğreti tepe saçı

ufak peruka

الشعر المستعار

Pronounced as (IPA)

/tuːˈpeɪ/

Etymology

Cognate with Old Dutch: topp

Cognate with Dutch: top

Cognate with Old Frisian: top

Cognate with Old English: top

Cognate with Old High German: zopf

Cognate with Old Norse: toppr

In summary

1727, from French toupet (“small tuft of hair, forelock”), from Middle French toupet (“small tuft of hair, forelock”), from Old French toupet (“small tuft of hair, forelock”), diminutive of toupe, top (“tuft of hair”), from Frankish *topp (“summit, crest, tuft of hair”), from Proto-Germanic *tuppaz (“summit, crest, tuft of hair”). Cognate with Old Dutch topp (“top”) (Dutch top), Old Frisian top (“summit, crest, tuft of hair”), Old English top (“summit, crest, tuft of hair”), Old High German zopf (“end, summit, tuft of hair”), Old Norse toppr (“tuft of hair, forelock”). More at top.