English

hairplay

From hair + play.

A compound of hair + play

Proto-Germanic *hērą

Proto-West Germanic *hār

Old English hǣr

Middle English her ‘a hair’

English hair

Proto-West Germanic *plegō ‘an exercise’

Proto-West Germanic *plegōn ‘to move; to engage, practice’

Old English plegian ‘to play’

Middle English pleyen ‘to engage in a game or sport’

English play

Today it means

noun The act of playing with one's own or someone else's hair (usually on the head).

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / hairplay