toupee

toupee
/tooh pay"/, n.
1. a man's wig.
2. a patch of false hair for covering a bald spot.
3. (formerly) a curl or an artificial lock of hair on the top of the head, esp. as a crowning feature of a periwig.
[1720-30; var. of toupet < F, equiv. to OF to(u)p tuft ( < Gmc; see TOP1) + -et -ET]

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also spelled  Toupet,  
 originally, any raised roll of hair just above the forehead, either natural or artificial; today, a small hairpiece generally covering a bald spot. The toupee developed during the 18th century, when men and women began to comb the front hair over the top line of the wig to create a natural-looking hairline.

      The toupee eventually increased in height until it reached an exaggerated size in the 1770s, the front hair being built over wire frames, pads, or felt cushions. Toward the end of the century, the toupee diminished in height, and it began to pass out of fashion as the French Revolution ushered in an age of naturalism.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Toupee — Tou*pee (?; 277), Toupet Tou*pet (?; 277), n. [F. toupet, dim. of OF. top a tuft; of Teutonic origin, and akin to E. top. See {Top} apex, and cf. {Topet}.] [1913 Webster] 1. A little tuft; a curl or artificial lock of hair. [1913 Webster] 2. A… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • toupee — 1727, from Fr. toupet tuft of hair, forelock, dim. formed from O.Fr. toupe tuft, from Frank. *top, related to TOP (Cf. top) (1) highest point. Originally an artificial curl or lock on the top of the head; a style, not necessarily a compensation… …   Etymology dictionary

  • toupee — a kind of wig covering a bald spot, is spelt in this way without any accents …   Modern English usage

  • toupee — [n] wig false hair, hair extension, hair implant, hairpiece, hair weaving, periwig, peruke, postiche, rug*; concept 392 …   New thesaurus

  • toupee — ► NOUN ▪ a small wig or artificial hairpiece worn to cover a bald spot. ORIGIN French, from Old French toup tuft …   English terms dictionary

  • toupee — [to͞o pā′] n. [Fr toupet, dim. of OFr toup, top, tuft of hair < Frank * top: see TOP1] 1. Historical a curl or lock of hair worn on top of the head, sometimes as part of a wig 2. a man s wig, esp. a small one for covering a bald spot …   English World dictionary

  • Toupée — A toupée is a hairpiece or partial wig of natural or synthetic hair worn to cover partial baldness or for theatrical purposes. While toupées and hairpieces are typically associated with male wearers, some women also use hairpieces to lengthen… …   Wikipedia

  • toupee — UK [ˈtuːpeɪ] / US [tuˈpeɪ] noun [countable] Word forms toupee : singular toupee plural toupees artificial hair that a man who is bald (= has no hair) wears on top of his head. A toupee is a type of wig …   English dictionary

  • toupee — tou|pee [ tu peı ] noun count artificial hair that a man who is BALD (=has no hair) wears on top of his head. A toupee is a type of wig …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • toupee — [[t]tu͟ːpeɪ, AM tuːpe͟ɪ[/t]] toupees N COUNT A toupee is a piece of artificial hair worn by a man to cover a patch on his head where he has lost his hair …   English dictionary

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