Definition

Noun: A small section of hair that grows in a different direction from the rest of the hair around it, making it difficult to lie flat or be styled in the same way. It often appears as a raised or unruly tuft.

Usage

A "cowlick" is a specific term for a common hair growth pattern. It is used to describe the hair itself, not the act of styling it. It is most often used in singular form.

Examples

• He has a stubborn cowlick at the back of his head that always sticks up.
• No matter how much gel she uses, she can't tame the cowlick on her crown.
• The baby's hair formed a cute little cowlick right on his forehead.

Advanced Usage

• The term originates from the way a cow licks its calf's fur, which leaves a pattern of hair standing up in a swirl.
• It can be used metaphorically to describe anything that is stubbornly out of place or resists conformity.
  • Example: "That one rebellious idea was the cowlick in his otherwise perfectly logical argument."

Variants and Related Words

• Hair whorl: A more technical or medical term for a spiral pattern of hair growth, often used interchangeably with "cowlick" but can refer to a more pronounced spiral.
• Alopecia areata: This is a medical condition causing hair loss in patches and is not related to a cowlick, which is a natural growth pattern.

Synonyms

• Tuft (a small bunch of hair, but not necessarily growing in a different direction)
• Unruly lock (descriptive phrase)

Antonyms

• Lay flat (descriptive phrase for the desired state of hair without a cowlick)
• Sleek hair (descriptive phrase)

Idioms and Phrases

• To have a cowlick: This is the standard phrasing to state the condition.
  • Example: "Most of my family members have a cowlick."

Noun

1. a tuft of hair that grows in a different direction from the rest of the hair and usually will not lie flat