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Definition of sideburn

sideburn

/ˈsaɪd.bɜːrn/
side · burn
Plural:sideburns
•
Adjective:sideburned
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sideburn Lexical Profile

sideburn Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A strip of facial hair grown down the side of a man's face in front of the ears (usually used in the plural).

Example

"The actor grew long sideburns for his role in the nineteenth-century period drama."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for sideburn

• Nearby Words

sideboards
sideboob
sidebox
sideburn
sideburned
sideburns
sidecar

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the late 19th century as a reversal of "burnsides," named after American Civil War General Ambrose Burnside, who was famous for his distinctive facial hair connecting his thick side-whiskers to his mustache while leaving his chin clean-shaven.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Sideburn. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/sideburn
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