moustache
UK: məˈstɑːʃ | US: ˈmʌstæʃ
n. a strip of hair left to grow above a man’s upper lip
moustache = mous<upper lip> + tache<hair>
- mous<upper lip>: Derived from Greek mystax (upper lip, mustache).
- tache<hair>: From Old French tache (spot, patch), later associated with hair growth.
Etymology Origin:
The word moustache entered English via French (moustache), which borrowed it from Italian (mostaccio), ultimately tracing back to Greek mystax (upper lip). The -tache element evolved from a general term for "patch" to specifically denote facial hair, reflecting the cultural focus on lip adornment. The spelling stabilized in English by the 16th century.
He twirled the ends of his moustache thoughtfully.
The actor shaved off his moustache for the new role.
A well-groomed moustache requires regular trimming.
In the 19th century, a thick moustache symbolized masculinity.
She joked that his moustache made him look like a detective.