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Definition of sideburns

sideburns

/ˈsaɪdˌbɜːrnz/
side · burns
Plural:sideburns
•
Adjective:sideburned
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sideburns Lexical Profile

sideburns Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Strips of facial hair grown down the sides of a man's face in front of the ears, especially when worn with the chin shaved.

Example

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

Synonyms
View all synonyms for sideburns

• Nearby Words

sidebox
sideburn
sideburned
sideburns
sidecar
sidechair
sidecut

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the late 19th century as a folk-etymological alteration of 'burnsides', named after American Civil War General Ambrose Burnside, who was famous for his distinctive facial hair connecting his side whiskers to his mustache.

Cite this Entry

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