haircut

haircut — noun

1. The specific look created when a person's hair is trimmed and shaped by a barber

1.nounA2
Definition

The specific look created when a person's hair is trimmed and shaped by a barber or stylist.

Example

Roya's new haircut made her look much more professional at work.

collocation: new haircut

The barber asked Diya what kind of haircut she wanted this time.

Common collocations
  • new haircut
  • short haircut
  • long haircut
  • layered haircut
  • spiky haircut
  • get a haircut
  • have a haircut
Synonyms
  • hairstyle

    broader term that covers any way of arranging hair, including colour, curls, and products, not just cutting

  • crop

    informal, specifically a very short haircut all over the head

  • trim

    a light haircut that removes only a small amount to keep the existing style neat

Grammar Patterns

get + a haircut

have + a haircut

adjective + haircut

Usage Note

Often modified by adjectives describing style (short, long, layered, spiky). Contrast with sense 2, which refers to the act or appointment rather than the resulting hairstyle.

Common Mistakes

I like your new haircut style.
I like your new haircut.
'haircut' already describes the style; adding 'style' is redundant.

2. An event or visit to a salon or barber where someone's hair is made shorter or c

2.nounA2
Definition

An event or visit to a salon or barber where someone's hair is made shorter or changed in style.

Example

Folake went to the salon for a haircut before her sister's wedding.

Gabriel needs a haircut, but he cannot find time between classes.

collocation: need a haircut

Common collocations
  • need a haircut
  • book a haircut
  • haircut appointment
  • go for a haircut
  • haircut costs
Synonyms
  • cut

    more general; works for hair, nails, paper, etc., while 'haircut' is hair-specific

  • trim

    specifically a light haircut that removes only a small amount

Grammar Patterns

need + a haircut

book + a haircut

go for + a haircut

Usage Note

Refers to the event or appointment, not the final hairstyle. Common with verbs like need, get, book, have. For a more formal alternative, use 'have one's hair cut'.

Common Mistakes

I went for cutting hair.
I went for a haircut.
'haircut' as a noun is the natural choice for the event; avoid using a gerund phrase.

3. An official lowering of the worth of a financial asset, such as a loan or bond,

3.nounC1
Definition

An official lowering of the worth of a financial asset, such as a loan or bond, often agreed upon during a debt settlement.

Example

The bank took a twenty percent haircut on its loan to the failed company.

financial metaphor: haircut on debt

Investors in the bond fund had to accept a haircut after the market crash.

Common collocations
  • take a haircut
  • haircut on debt
  • accept a haircut
  • percent haircut
Synonyms
  • reduction

    general term, not limited to financial contexts

  • write-down

    formal accounting term for officially reducing an asset's book value

  • cut

    informal synonym, broader in meaning

Antonyms
  • write-up

    an increase in the recorded value of an asset

Grammar Patterns

take + a haircut + on + noun phrase

Usage Note

Domain-specific to finance and investment. Almost always expressed as a percentage. The fixed phrase 'take a haircut on [something]' is the most common grammatical pattern. Not used for salary reductions — use 'pay cut' instead.

Common Mistakes

The company gave employees a haircut on their salaries.
The company imposed a pay cut on employees.
'haircut' in finance refers to assets (bonds, loans, shares), not salaries.

Word family

  • hair
    nounA1
  • cut
    verbA1
  • cut
    nounA2
  • hair salon
    nounA2
  • hair stylist
    nounB1
  • hair clippers
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While 'haircut', 'hairstyle', 'trim', and 'crop' all relate to how hair looks, they differ in scope. 'Haircut' refers specifically to the length and shape resulting from cutting — you go to a barber and come out with a new one. 'Hairstyle' is much broader, covering any arrangement of hair including colour, texture, and products, whether the hair is cut or not. 'Trim' describes a light haircut that removes only split ends or a small amount of length, keeping the existing style largely unchanged. 'Crop' implies a very short haircut all over, often chosen for practicality. For example, 'Roya's new haircut is a short bob' focuses on the cut result, while 'Her hairstyle involves curls and highlights' covers more than just cutting. 'She only needed a trim, not a full haircut' contrasts a light touch-up with a full cut. And 'Cole prefers a short crop for the summer' points to a specific very short style.

hairstyle ↗haircut ↗trim ↗crop ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

The word 'haircut' is a compound formed by joining 'hair' (from Old English 'hǣr', of Germanic origin) and 'cut' (a verb first recorded in the 13th century, probably from Old English 'cyttan'). The noun compound first appeared in written English around the year 1800. Centuries later, in late 20th-century Wall Street slang, the word gained a financial meaning — a reduction in the value of a debt or asset — drawing a metaphor from the idea of 'cutting' hair shorter.