blond

blond — adjective

1. having hair that is pale yellow or gold in color

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

having hair that is pale yellow or gold in color

Example

The new lifeguard has short blond hair and works at the beach every summer.

describing a person's hair color

Megan's little brother has blond curls that their mother brushes every morning.

blond + curls for curly hair

Common collocations
  • blond hair
  • blond curls
  • blond child / children
  • dye your hair blond
  • go blond
  • turn blond
  • natural blond
  • ash blond
  • golden blond
  • bleach something blond
Synonyms
  • fair-haired

    softer, slightly more formal; describes light hair generally, not specifically yellow

  • flaxen

    literary or poetic; describes very pale, almost white-blond hair

  • golden

    warmer tone than blond; also used for things, not just hair

Antonyms
  • dark-haired

    general opposite; includes brown and black hair

  • brunette

    specifically for brown-haired people, especially women

Usage Note

Blonde (with an e at the end) is a common alternative spelling. In British English, blonde is more often used for women and girls, while blond is used for men and boys. In American English, blond is more common for all genders.

Common Mistakes

She has a blond hair.
She has blond hair.
hair is uncountable, so do not use 'a'.
He is a blond hair boy.
He is a blond boy.
do not repeat 'hair' after 'blond' when describing a person.

blond — noun

Word family

  • blonde
    adjectiveA2
  • blonde
    nounB1
  • blondness
    nounC1
  • bleach-blond
    adjectiveB2
  • dirty-blond
    adjectiveB2
  • strawberry-blond
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe light hair, but they differ in tone and range. Fair-haired is the most neutral and widely used — it simply means hair that is light in color, from pale brown to blond, and can be used for any age or gender. Flaxen is a more poetic or literary word that describes very pale, almost white-blond hair; you would not use it in everyday conversation. Golden adds a warm, rich quality and is also used for things like sunlight or autumn leaves, not just hair. Light-haired is the most literal and plain option, often used in official descriptions such as on missing-person posters or driver's licenses. For example: 'The fair-haired toddler wandered into the garden next door.' 'She had long flaxen hair that shone like wheat in the sun.' 'His golden hair matched the family's Scottish heritage.' 'The police report described a light-haired man in his thirties.'

fair-haired ↗flaxengolden ↗light-haired ↗

Etymology

FrankishOld FrenchMiddle FrenchEnglish

Blond entered English from Old French 'blond' in the 15th century, meaning 'a color midway between gold and light chestnut.' The French word likely came from Frankish (a Germanic language spoken by the Franks), where 'blund' meant 'a mixed color' and is related to the Old High German 'blas' meaning 'pale, white.' The feminine form 'blonde' was borrowed from French alongside the masculine form, and the two spellings have coexisted in English ever since, with 'blonde' traditionally used for women and girls.