earlock
Low-Frequency / Archaic / HistoricalLiterary, Historical, Specialized
Definition
Meaning
A small lock or tress of hair, especially a curled one, worn in front of or over the ear.
Historically, it can refer to a specific hairstyle worn by some figures, notably Puritan men in 17th-century England, where a long lock of hair was left hanging in front of the ear, or to similar distinctive locks in other cultural/religious contexts (e.g., sidecurls worn by some Jewish and Sikh men).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word is primarily historical/literary. In contemporary use, it's rare and would most likely appear in historical novels, costume descriptions, or discussions of specific cultural/religious hairstyles.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is equally archaic and low-frequency in both varieties.
Connotations
Evokes historical or period-specific imagery (e.g., Cavaliers, Puritans, 17th-century portraits).
Frequency
Extremely rare in both dialects, encountered mainly in historical texts or specialized writing.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] wore/had/twirled an earlock.An earlock [verb] from under his cap.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated; the word itself is descriptive.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical, cultural studies, or religious studies texts describing hairstyles.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Used in costume design, historical reenactment, or wig-making contexts.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The old painting showed a man with one long earlock.
- In the story, the pirate captain had a distinctive, beaded earlock.
- Historical accounts describe the Puritan's long earlock as a defiant symbol against the court's fashion.
- The portraitist meticulously rendered the sitter's greying earlock, a deliberate anachronism that linked him to a bygone era of religious dissent.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LOCK of hair near the EAR.
Conceptual Metaphor
A distinctive feature is a signature (e.g., 'his earlock was his signature').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation to 'ушной замок' (ear lock as in a lock for an ear). The word is specifically about hair. The Russian 'пейсы' (peyes) is a culturally specific equivalent for Orthodox Jewish sidecurls, but 'earlock' is a broader English term.
Common Mistakes
- Using it to refer to modern sideburns or a full side-part hairstyle. An earlock is specifically a distinct lock/tress, not the entire area of hair.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would you most likely encounter the word 'earlock'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic or historical term. You will rarely hear it in everyday conversation.
An earlock is a specific, often curled, lock or tress of hair in front of the ear. A sideburn is the strip of facial hair growing down the side of the face in front of the ears, typically not a single, defined lock.
Not typically. Its use is almost exclusively for describing historical or specific cultural/religious hairstyles, such as those of 17th-century Puritans or Orthodox Jewish payot.
No, 'earlock' is solely a noun in standard usage. There is no attested verb form 'to earlock'.