rhizoverbBeta
DictionarykerchiefCloth covering
noun

kerchief

KUR-chif/ˈkɜːrtʃɪf/

A square cloth worn on the head or around the neck.

She wears a kerchief folded over her hair and tied beneath her chin.

A Latino woman wearing a simple triangular-folded square kerchief over her hair, tied securely under chin.
Etymology
kerOld Frenchto cover
+chiefOld Frenchhead

“Cover” and “head” describe the cloth’s original purpose as a head covering or veil. Its meaning later broadened to cloth worn or used elsewhere about the person.

In context

Long Beach Public Library15:15
… as scott removed the kerchief he wore around his neck
Local History Lecture: When Water Was Everywhere: Life in Early California

More examples

  • The farmer wore a kerchief over her hair.
  • He folded the patterned kerchief into a triangle.
  • A blue kerchief peeked from the costume’s collar.

Forms

kerchief · kerchiefs · kerchieves

Similar words

bandanna
A bandanna is usually a patterned kerchief; kerchief is the broader cloth term.
scarf
A scarf is often a long strip of fabric; a kerchief is generally square before folding.