Definition

Adjective: 1. Having long hair: Describes a person or animal whose hair is grown to a considerable length. 2. (Informal, dated) Intellectual or artistic: Used colloquially, especially in the mid-20th century, to describe a person, typically a man, interested in intellectual, artistic, or classical pursuits, often implying a non-conformist or bohemian lifestyle.

Usage

The primary meaning is literal, describing physical appearance. The informal meaning is historical and often carries cultural connotations from specific eras (e.g., the 1960s counterculture). It can sometimes be used neutrally, descriptively, or pejoratively, depending on context.

Examples

• Literal Meaning:
• Informal/Historical Meaning: (Here it implies intellectual/artistic interests and likely long physical hair). (This may reference both appearance and perceived non-conformist attitudes).

Advanced Usage

• The term can function as a compound adjective before a noun (e.g., ) or after a linking verb (e.g., ).
• In its informal sense, it was often contrasted with "short-haired" to denote conventional, conservative, or non-intellectual individuals.

Variants and Related Words

• Longhair (noun): A person with long hair; (informal) a person devoted to classical music or intellectual pursuits.
• Long-hairedness (noun, rare): The state or quality of having long hair.

Synonyms

• Literal: flowing-haired, mane-haired (for animals).
• Informal: intellectual, bohemian, artistic, non-conformist, hippie (context-specific).

Antonyms

• Literal: short-haired, cropped, shorn.
• Informal (contextual): conventional, conservative, square (slang).

Related Idioms/Phrases

• While not a phrasal verb, the term itself became an idiomatic label. The phrase "long-haired friends" was sometimes used humorously or dismissively to refer to intellectuals or artists.

Adjective

1. with long hair
   • long-haired hippies