[a. F. chignon nape of the neck, chignon; in earlier F. chaaignon (13th c.), chaignon du col, chinon du col, eschignon du col (16th c.) nape of the neck, variant of chaînon ring or link of a chain, f. chaîne chain.]
A large coil or hump of hair, usually folded round a pad, which has, at various times (e.g., c. 1780, c. 1870), been worn by women on the nape of the neck or back of the head.
1773. Caledonian Mercury, 13 Oct., 3/3. Advt., Chignon, a new fashion for the neck, 1 s. 6 d.
1783. Lady’s Mag., XIV. 121/1. Fashionable Dresses for 1783. Full Dress. The hair large, and the chignon low behind.
1817. Mar. Edgeworth, Harrington, I. xiii. 315–6. The hair behind, natural and false, plaistered together to a preposterous bulk … was [c. 1780] turned up in a sort of great bag, or club, or chignon.
1821. Blackw. Mag., X. 267/2. Pretty little fantastic chignons and lovelocks.
1865. Pall Mall Gaz., 3 July, 9/1. A young gentleman was seen riding … holding on high at the end of his cane a chignon, as those heavy humps of hair are technically called.
1871. M. Collins, Mrq. & Merch., II. vi. 171. These girls! They are all alike—from chignon to ankle, from princess to sempstress.
Hence Chignoned a., wearing a chignon.
1867. Chamb. Jrnl., 6 April, 210/1. Ladies … who had not imagination enough to carry the description of seven rooms in their chignoned and small-bonneted little heads.
1869. Daily News, 4 March, 5/4. All the noisy world of carrotty, chignoned ‘cocodettes.’
1870. W. Whitman, in Scott. Rev. (1883), 291. Unhealthy forms … padded, dyed, chignon’d.
