crew cut
C1Neutral, slightly informal.
Definition
Meaning
A very short hairstyle for men, originally shaved on the sides with slightly longer hair standing upright on top.
Any very short, practical haircut, typically for men or boys, often associated with the military, sports teams, or a certain practical, no-fuss attitude. It can also refer by extension to a person sporting this haircut.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Historically and strongly connected to the US military (especially the Navy and Marines) from the mid-20th century. It can carry connotations of discipline, conformity, masculinity, practicality, and sometimes a conservative or old-fashioned style. The term is a compound noun.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is understood and used in both varieties, but it has stronger cultural roots and is slightly more common in American English due to its military origin. A 'short back and sides' is a more generic, common British English phrase for short haircuts.
Connotations
In the US, it has a strong association with mid-century American military (WWII, Korean War) and collegiate athletics. In the UK, while the military association is known, it may be perceived as a specifically American or anachronistic style.
Frequency
Moderately frequent in specific contexts (barbershops, discussions of style/military); less common in general everyday conversation than terms like 'short hair'.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
He {has/got/sported/wore} a crew cut.The barber {gave him} a crew cut.His hair was {cut in a} crew cut.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not directly idiomatic, but used in phrases like] 'a crew cut and a crisp salute' to evoke military precision.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, unless describing personal appearance; e.g., 'His no-nonsense crew cut matched his efficient management style.'
Academic
Rare, except in historical, sociological, or cultural studies discussing post-war masculinity or military culture.
Everyday
Most common in casual conversation about haircuts, style, or personal descriptions.
Technical
Used in barbering/hairdressing to denote a specific cutting technique and style.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The sergeant-major will have you crew-cut before inspection.
- He decided to crew-cut his hair for the summer.
American English
- He got his hair crew-cut at the base barber.
- I'm going to crew-cut it all off.
adverb
British English
- His hair was cut crew-cut short.
American English
- He had it cut crew-cut style.
adjective
British English
- He had a crew-cut look about him.
- A crew-cut hairstyle
American English
- He was a crew-cut recruit.
- The crew-cut style came back in fashion briefly.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- His hair is very short. It is a crew cut.
- My brother got a crew cut.
- After joining the army, he changed his hairstyle to a crew cut.
- The football coach recommends a crew cut for all the players.
- The photograph from the 1950s showed rows of young men with identical crew cuts.
- He sported a severe crew cut that made him look tougher than he was.
- The resurgence of the crew cut in certain subcultures is seen as a nod to vintage Americana and utilitarian aesthetics.
- His meticulously maintained crew cut was less a fashion statement and more a reflection of his disciplined, Spartan lifestyle.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the 'crew' of a ship or plane – they need practical, short hair. The hair is 'cut' so short it looks like a uniform for your head.
Conceptual Metaphor
A HEAD IS A LAWN / HAIR IS GRASS (to be mowed/cut short and uniform). DISCIPLINE IS SHORT HAIR.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating literally as 'команда резать'. The correct equivalent is 'ёжик' (hedgehog, for a very short, spiky cut) or 'короткая стрижка' (short haircut). 'Бокс' (box cut) or 'полубокс' are also close barbering terms.
- The term does not relate to the word 'крю' or any part of a ship's 'crew' in Russian.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'crewcub', 'crucut', or 'crew cutt'.
- Using it to describe any short female hairstyle (it is strongly masculine-coded).
- Confusing it with a 'buzz cut' (which is often uniformly short all over, while a crew cut is slightly longer on top).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST likely connotation of a 'crew cut'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A buzz cut is typically hair cut uniformly very short all over the head with clippers. A crew cut is slightly longer on top, often trimmed with scissors to stand up, and shorter on the sides and back. The crew cut is a specific type of very short haircut.
While the term is strongly masculine-coded due to its history, women can certainly have very short, similar haircuts. However, it's more common to describe a woman's very short haircut with terms like 'pixie cut', 'buzz cut', or simply 'very short hair'.
It originated in the United States in the 1940s. It is named after the rowing 'crews' (teams) at Ivy League universities like Yale and Harvard, whose athletes popularized the style for its practicality before it was widely adopted by the military.
It is considered a classic, timeless style rather than a high-fashion trend. It cycles in and out of popularity, often associated with a retro, utilitarian, or minimalist aesthetic. It remains a standard option in barbershops.