coif

coif
coif1
/koyf/, n.
1. a hood-shaped cap, usually of white cloth and with extended sides, worn beneath a veil, as by nuns.
2. any of various hoodlike caps, varying through the centuries in shape and purpose, worn by men and women.
3. a cap similar to a skullcap, formerly worn by sergeants at law.
4. Armor. a covering for the head and neck, made of leather, padded cloth, or mail.
5. Brit. the rank or position of a sergeant at law.
v.t.
6. to cover or dress with or as with a coif.
[1250-1300; ME coyf(e) < AF coife, OF coiffe < LL cofia, cofea headdress, sort of cap < WGmc *kuf(f)ja]
coif2
/kwahf, koyf/, n., v.t.
coiffure (defs. 1, 3).
Also coiffe.
[prob. back formation from COIFFURE, or < F coiffer, its base]

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 close-fitting cap of white linen that covered the ears and was tied with strings under the chin, like a baby's bonnet. It appeared at the end of the 12th century as an additional head protection worn under the hood by men, and it persisted into the 16th century as ecclesiastic or legal headgear, sometimes worn alone, sometimes as an undercap.

      The coif could also be an indoor skullcap of black cloth or silk. As worn by women from the 16th to the 18th century, it was sometimes embroidered in coloured silks and made to curve out over the ears or was simple and kept under a hat.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • coif — COIF, coifuri, s.n. Acoperământ de metal sau de piele pentru protecţia capului, purtat în trecut de unii ostaşi în timpul luptei. ♦ Caschetă de hârtie în formă de bicorn, cu care se joacă copiii, care se poartă ocazional pentru a proteja capul de …   Dicționar Român

  • Coif — (koif or kw[aum]f), v. t. [Cf. F. coiffer.] To cover or dress with, or as with, a coif. [1913 Webster] And coif me, where I m bald, with flowers. J. G. Cooper. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Coif — (koif or kw[aum]f), n. [OF. coife, F. coiffe, LL. cofea, cuphia, fr. OHG. kuppa, kuppha, miter, perh. fr. L. cupa tub. See {Cup}, n.; but cf. also {Cop}, {Cuff} the article of dress, {Quoif}, n.] 1. A cap. Specifically: (a) A close fitting cap… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • coif — coif·feur; coif·feuse; coif; coif·fure; …   English syllables

  • coif — [koif; ] for n.5 & vt. [ kwäf] n. [ME & OFr coife < LL cofea, a cap, hood < ?] 1. a cap that fits the head closely 2. a white cap formerly worn by English lawyers, esp. by serjeants at law 3. the rank of serjeant at law 4. a thick skullcap… …   English World dictionary

  • coif — n. A headdress; a white piece of cloth worn by top English lawyers on top of their wigs. The Essential Law Dictionary. Sphinx Publishing, An imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. Amy Hackney Blackwell. 2008 …   Law dictionary

  • coif — (n.) late 13c., close fitting cap, from O.Fr. coife skull cap, cap worn under a helmet, headgear (12c., Mod.Fr. coiffe), from L.L. coifa a cap, hood (Cf. It. cuffia, Sp. cofia, escofia), of W.Gmc. origin (Cf. O.H.G. kupphia, M.H.G. kupfe cap ).… …   Etymology dictionary

  • coif — ► NOUN ▪ a close fitting cap worn by nuns under a veil. ► VERB (coiffed, coiffing; US also coifed, coifing) ▪ style or arrange (someone s hair). ORIGIN Old French coife headdress , from Latin cofia helmet …   English terms dictionary

  • Coif — For coiffure , see Hairstyle. Detail of Edward VI as a child by Holbein, 1538: he wears a linen coif under a cloth of gold coif and a feathered hat. A coif ( …   Wikipedia

  • coif — /koyf/ A title given to Serjeants at law, who are called serjeants of the coif, from the coif they wear on their heads. The use of this coif at first was to cover the clerical tonsure, many of the practicing serjeants being clergymen who had… …   Black's law dictionary

  • coif — /koyf/ A title given to Serjeants at law, who are called serjeants of the coif, from the coif they wear on their heads. The use of this coif at first was to cover the clerical tonsure, many of the practicing serjeants being clergymen who had… …   Black's law dictionary

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