Definition of Hair at Dictionary.com

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Noun

Any of the numerous fine, usually cylindrical, keratinous filaments growing from the skin of humans and animals; a pilus.

an aggregate of such filaments, as that covering the human head or forming the coat of most mammals.

a similar fine, filamentous outgrowth from the body of insects, spiders, etc.

Botany. a filamentous outgrowth of the epidermis.

cloth made of hair from animals, as camel and alpaca.

a very small amount, degree, measure, magnitude, etc.; a fraction, as of time or space: He lost the race by a hair.

Omega your hair nice

Increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids may stimulate your hair follicles and sebaceous glands. While this won’t cause your hair to grow, it may improve scalp health.

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in cold-water fish, such as salmon, sardines, and herring. Other good sources include:

  • flax seed
  • yogurt
  • cottage cheese
  • salad
  • cereal

Words nearby hair

hainan

,

hainan strait

,

hainaut

,

haines city

,

haiphong

,

hair

,

hair bulb

,

hair cast

,

hair cell

,

hair disk

,

hair follicle

Origin of hair

before 900; Middle English heer, Old English hǣr (cognate with Dutch, German haar, Old Norse hār), with vowel perhaps from Middle English haire hair shirt Old French Old High German hāria (cognate with Middle English here, Old English hǣre, Old Norse hǣra)

Choose the right shampoo

Using the wrong shampoo and styling agent can cause significant hair damage. Look for products that are right for your hair type — oily, normal, or dry — and target any problems you have, such as dandruff.

Try to avoid shampoos with harsh ingredients, such as ammonium lauryl sulfate or sodium lauryl sulfate. And remember, cost doesn’t necessarily indicate the quality of a product.

OTHER WORDS FROM hair

hair·like, adjectivede·hair, verb (used with object)

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH hair

hair hare

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for hair

  • But his fingers moved through her silky strands of hair, and then down her neck.

  • They dye their hair and alter their clothes, but not enough to attract attention from authorities.

  • While the look worked for some, the combination of heat and chemicals took a toll on the hair of others.

  • The idea to invest in their own hair company came from Miko after seeing how clients at their salon responded to her natural hair.

  • “You can cut my hair, you can bald me, you can strip me naked and take away my dignity,” she said.

  • A large proportion of mammals have the surface fairly uniformly covered with hair of one kind only.

  • I pinned a clean towel round my neck, barber fashion, and pulling the pins out of my hair, shook it down over my shoulders.

  • Lady Cecilia rose from the bed, advanced towards the mirror, and smoothed her hair.

  • Between that and the wildcats it made our hair stand on end and the chills go up and down our spines.

  • He could scent the flower-like odour of her body and wrapping, even her hair.

British Dictionary definitions for hair

hair

noun

any of the threadlike pigmented structures that grow from follicles beneath the skin of mammals and consist of layers of dead keratinized cells

a growth of such structures, as on the human head or animal body, which helps prevent heat loss from the body

botany any threadlike outgrowth from the epidermis, such as a root hair

  1. a fabric or material made from the hair of some animals
  2. (as modifier)a hair carpet; a hair shirt

get in someone’s hair informal to annoy someone persistently

hair of the dog or hair of the dog that bit one an alcoholic drink taken as an antidote to a hangover

keep your hair on! British informal keep calm

let one’s hair down to behave without reserve

not turn a hair to show no surprise, anger, fear, etc

split hairs to make petty and unnecessary distinctions

Hair maintenance tips

Keep these tips in mind for healthy locks:

  • Start off on the lowest heat setting while blow drying and gradually increase heat as needed.
  • Allow your hair to air dry whenever possible.
  • Change up where you place pins and clips so that breakage isn’t localized.
  • If you dye your hair, choose a shade that’s within three shades of your natural color.
  • Massage your scalp often to promote hair growth and increase blood circulation.
  • Get your hair cut regularly — every 10 to 12 weeks — to keep hair healthy and prevent split ends.

Word Origin for hair

Old English hær; related to Old Norse hār, Old High German hār hair, Norwegian herren stiff, hard, Lettish sari bristles, Latin crescere to grow

Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for hair

hair

Any of the cylindrical, keratinized, often pigmented filaments characteristically growing from the epidermis of a mammal.

A growth of such filaments, as that forming the coat of an animal or covering the scalp of a human.

One of the fine hairlike processes of a sensory cell.

The American Heritage® Stedman’s Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for hair

hair

One of the fine strands that grow from the skin of mammals, usually providing insulation against the cold. Modified hairs sometimes serve as protective defenses, as in the quills of a porcupine or hedgehog, or as tactile organs, as in the whiskers (called vibrissae) of many nocturnal mammals. Hair filaments are a modification of the epidermis of the skin and are composed primarily of keratin. Hair also contains melanin, which determines hair color.

A slender growth resembling a mammalian hair, found on insects and other animals.

A fine, threadlike growth from the epidermis of plants. See more at trichome.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Idioms and Phrases with hair

hair

In addition to the idioms beginning with hair

  • hair of the dog that bit you
  • hair shirt

also see:

  • bad hair day
  • by a hair
  • by the short hairs
  • fair-haired boy
  • get gray hair from
  • hang by a thread (hair)
  • hide or hair
  • in someone’s hair
  • let one’s hair down
  • make one’s hair stand on end
  • put lead in one’s pencil (hair on one’s chest)
  • split hairs
  • tear one’s hair
  • turn a hair

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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