chignon
/ʃɪnˈjɒn/
"chignon" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“chignon” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 7
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A roll or twist of hair worn at the nape of the neck; a bun.
Corpus desk
Index EN-chignon · chignon · English
chignon · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-LONG 7 letters
- VOW-2 2 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "C" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern
Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | chignon |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ʃɪnˈjɒn/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Long-tail rank of “chignon” in English
Rare enough to double-check
chignon is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ʃɪnˈjɒn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
chignon doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French chignon circa 1780, when the hairstyle was in fashion. The correct English form is chignon, spelled C-H-I-G-N-O-N.
Definition
- 1A roll or twist of hair worn at the nape of the neck; a bun.
- 2A temporary swelling on a neonate's head after a ventouse-assisted delivery.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how chignon appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
The chignon cannot be confounded with other artificialities which ladies put on and off.
Madame du Barry could not merely be credited with inventing the chignons which bear her name.
Etymology
Borrowed from French chignon circa 1780, when the hairstyle was in fashion.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.