Toupee
/ˈtuː.peɪ/noun
A small artificial hairpiece worn to cover partial baldness or replace missing hair.
Did you know?The word entered English through French toupet, whose meaning shifted from a simple tuft or lock of hair to a deliberately worn hairpiece.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*tuppaz
“A tuft, bunch, or projecting top; the reconstructed Germanic source associated with the word family.”
Old French
Old French
top
“A tuft or lock of hair.”
Middle French
French
toupe
“A tuft or clump, especially of hair.”
17th Century
French
toupet
“A small tuft or lock of hair; the diminutive form of toupe.”
18th Century
English
toupee
“A small artificial hairpiece, borrowed from French.”
Modern English
English
toupee
“A hairpiece used chiefly to conceal baldness or thinning hair.”