Meaning & use
updo
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Meaning
nouncountable
A hairstyle in which long hair is lifted off the neck and fastened on or near the top of the head.
Grammar: Takes a/an in the singular: she chose an updo, but they offered three updos.
Patterns
- wear your hair in an updo
- get an updo
- an updo for something
She booked a stylist to create an elegant updo for the wedding.
His sister practiced a messy updo in front of the mirror before the dance.
An updo keeps your hair off your face during a long day outdoors.
Word forms
| plural | updos |
|---|
Common combinations
- an elegant updo
- The bride wore an elegant updo decorated with small pearls.
- a messy updo
- A messy updo suits a relaxed evening out.
- a braided updo
- She chose a braided updo that stayed neat all night.
- get an updo
- I'm getting an updo for the graduation ceremony.
- pin up an updo
- The stylist pinned up the updo with a dozen small clips.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bun
- A bun is one specific kind of updo, with the hair wound into a round knot, while updo covers many shapes.
- chignon
- Chignon is a more formal or French-flavored word for a low, smooth knot, whereas updo is the everyday general term.
- topknot
- A topknot is a knot placed high on the crown and is usually casual, while an updo can be of any height and any level of formality.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: updo or updraft?
updo vs updraft
An updraft is an upward current of air; it has nothing to do with hair, despite the shared 'up' prefix.
Practice
For the formal dinner, Maya had her long hair pinned into a neat ___ on top of her head.
Choose one answer.
An updo is a style with the hair gathered up and fastened. A fringe is the hair that hangs over the forehead, and a hairband or wig is an accessory, not a style.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “updo”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.