Blonde

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Pronunciation: /blɒnd/

Definitions

1. A description for someone who has hair that is light in color, often appearing yellowish or golden, and can indicate a certain hair type or appearance
2. A characteristic that refers to shades of hair that are typically lighter than brown and may include various tones of pale or golden hues
3. An individual whose hair color is pale and often carries golden or yellow tones ; a hair shade that features light, yellow-tinged strands often seen on people

Etymology: Blonde comes from Middle French, where the feminine form "blonde" was the counterpart of "blond." The masculine "blond" came into French from Frankish or another Germanic source, and it referred to a light, yellowish or golden colour before it described hair. The feminine form was the one that stuck in English as a noun for a fair-haired woman, while "blond" remained the form used for men and for the adjective in general use. The adjective, meaning fair or golden-haired, follows the same pattern: the English noun for a light-haired woman arrived first, and the adjective developed from it. Some English speakers still treat "blonde" as the feminine spelling and "blond" as the masculine, a distinction that reflects its French origin rather than any difference in meaning.

Synonyms: fair-haired, light-haired, golden, towheaded, bleached

Antonyms: brunette, dark-haired, black, auburn, reddish