Is 'chevelure' a common English word?

No, it is extremely rare and literary. The everyday word is 'hair'.

How do you pronounce 'chevelure'?

It is pronounced /ʃəˈvɛljʊə/ (shuh-VEL-yoor) in British English and /ʃəvəˈlʊr/ (shuh-vuh-LOOR) in American English.

Can I use 'chevelure' to talk about men's hair?

Theoretically yes, as it simply means 'head of hair', but its literary and ornamental connotations make it more typically applied to descriptions of women's hair.

What is the origin of the word?

It is a late 18th-century borrowing from French, from Old French 'cheveleüre', ultimately from Latin 'capillatura', from 'capillus' meaning 'hair'.

Is “chevelure” formal?

Chevelure is usually literary, archaic, technical (historical astronomy) in register.

chevelure: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Very Rare

UK/ʃəˈvɛljʊə/US/ʃəvəˈlʊr/

Literary, Archaic, Technical (historical astronomy)

My Flashcards

Quick answer

What does “chevelure” mean?

A head of hair.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

A head of hair; a person's hair, especially when regarded as a decorative or notable feature.

Used in literary or art contexts to refer to a flowing, luxuriant, or ornamental head of hair. Also used historically in astronomy to describe the nebulous appearance around a comet's nucleus.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is equally rare and literary in both variants.

Connotations

Connotes a high literary, somewhat Frenchified, or old-fashioned elegance.

Frequency

Extremely low frequency in both. Slightly more likely to be encountered in British literary texts due to historical Francophone influence.

Grammar

How to Use “chevelure” in a Sentence

[possessive] + chevelureadjective + chevelureverb (e.g., arrange, adorn) + chevelure

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

luxuriant chevelureflowing cheveluregolden chevelure

medium

her chevelurelong cheveluredark chevelure

weak

of chevelurewith chevelurechevelure of

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Never used.

Academic

Rarely used outside historical or literary analysis.

Everyday

Never used.

Technical

Historical term in astronomy for a comet's coma; obsolete.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “chevelure”

Strong

manehead of hair

Neutral

hairlockstresses

Weak

coiffure hairdo

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “chevelure”

baldnessalopecia

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “chevelure”

Pronouncing it with a hard 'ch' (as in 'chair'). It is French-derived with a 'sh' sound.
Using it in everyday conversation, which would sound pretentious or bizarre.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: No, it is extremely rare and literary. The everyday word is 'hair'.
: It is pronounced /ʃəˈvɛljʊə/ (shuh-VEL-yoor) in British English and /ʃəvəˈlʊr/ (shuh-vuh-LOOR) in American English.
: Theoretically yes, as it simply means 'head of hair', but its literary and ornamental connotations make it more typically applied to descriptions of women's hair.
: It is a late 18th-century borrowing from French, from Old French 'cheveleüre', ultimately from Latin 'capillatura', from 'capillus' meaning 'hair'.
: A head of hair.
: Chevelure is usually literary, archaic, technical (historical astronomy) in register.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of 'CHEVELURE' – it sounds like 'She velour' – imagine a luxurious, soft velour scarf covering a beautiful head of hair.

Conceptual Metaphor

HAIR IS A FLOWING ORNAMENT / HAIR IS A MANE.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

The pre-Raphaelite painter was famed for depicting women with lush, flowing .

Multiple Choice

In which context would the word 'chevelure' be LEAST appropriate?