Kerchief
/ˈkɜːr.tʃɪf/noun
A piece of cloth worn or carried on the head, around the neck, or for covering the face.
Did you know?Kerchief comes from the same French phrase that gave English *cover*, so the word began as a practical head-covering term before shrinking into today’s scarf-like meaning.
Etymological Timeline
Late Old French
OF
cuevrechef / couvrechief
“a head covering; literally a covering for the head”
Middle English
ME
kerchef / curchef
“a cloth worn on the head or as a covering”
14th–15th Century
English
kerchief
“a headcloth, veil, or scarf”
Modern English
English
kerchief
“a small piece of cloth worn or carried for covering or adornment”