hairline

noun

hair·​line ˈher-ˈlīn 

1

: a very slender line: such as

a

: a tiny line or crack on a surface

a hairline bone fracture

b

: a fine line connecting thicker strokes in a printed letter

2

: hairbreadth

3

a

: a textile design consisting of lengthwise or crosswise lines usually one thread wide

b

: a fabric with such a design

4

a

: the outline of scalp hair especially on the forehead

b

: the way the hair frames the face

hairline adjective

Synonyms

• ace
• hair
• hairbreadth
• hairsbreadth
• hop, skip, and jump
• inch
• neck
• shouting distance
• step
• stone's throw

Examples of hairline in a Sentence

The plate had a hairline running across it.

He has a receding hairline.

Recent Examples on the Web

With the syringes of my fat ready for injection, Dr. Tepper placed the cannula into the two different access points on both sides of my face: at the corner of my eyebrows to fill the tear trough and cheek area, and at the hairline to fill my temples. —Taryn Brooke, Allure, 24 Oct. 2024

Both were sailors, and both (as Buffett joked in a recent tribute to Taylor) dealt with early fame, receding hairlines and getting healthy in later life. —Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2024

To cap it off, run the roller from the center of the forehead up into the hairline five times, then from the clavicle up to the back of the ear five times. —Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 4 Oct. 2024

The hairline is still immaculate, the swag is still effortless, and the lyricism is still one of a kind. —Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 14 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

hairline

noun

hair·​line ˈha(ə)r-ˌlīn 

ˈhe(ə)r-

1

a

: a very slender line

b

: a very thin crack on a surface

a hairline bone fracture

2

: the outline of the hair on the head and especially on the forehead

hairline adjective

Medical Definition

hairline

noun

hair·​line -ˈlīn 

: the outline of scalp hair especially on the forehead

hairline adjective