sideburns
SAHYD-burnz
/ˈsaɪdbɜːrnz/
Strips of facial hair grown down the sides of a person's face in front of the ears.
Sideburns are distinct from a beard because they are limited to the sides of the face and do not cover the chin or throat unless connected as part of a full beard.
The story behind the word. Originally called 'burnsides' after the American Civil War General Ambrose Burnside, who wore a striking style of bushy whiskers connecting his ears to his mustache. Over time, the syllables were flipped to 'sideburns' because they grow on the side of the face.
Word relationships
- side whiskers: Side whiskers is an older, more formal term, while sideburns is the standard modern term.
Commonly confused with
- temples: The temples are the flat areas on the side of the head above the ears, whereas sideburns are the facial hair grown in front of the ears.
Collocations
- trim sideburns
- long sideburns
- mutton-chop sideburns
- bushy sideburns
Example sentences
- "He grew long, thick sideburns to match his 1970s-inspired wardrobe." Describing a retro fashion style
- "The barber used a straight razor to trim his sideburns into clean, sharp squares." A barber shaping facial hair
Memory hook
Think of General Burnside's hair 'burning' down the 'sides' of his face. Hair burning down the sides.
When not to use
Do not confuse with a mustache (upper lip) or a goatee (chin only).
Fun facts
- General Burnside's original look left his chin completely clean-shaven, a style that would look incredibly eccentric by modern standards.
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