marcel

See also: Marcel

English

François Marcel marcelling his wife's hair, 1922

Etymology

Apparently from the French name Marcel, but accounts vary regarding who invented the style.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɑː(ɹ)ˈsɛl/
• Rhymes: -ɛl

Noun

marcel (plural marcels)

1. A hairstyle characterized by deep waves made by a curling iron.
2. A marcel wave.

Related terms

• marcel wave

Verb

marcel (third-person singular simple present marcels, present participle marcelling, simple past and past participle marcelled)

1. (transitive) To wave (hair) by the marcel method.
   • 1973, Toni Morrison, Sula, Chatto & Windus (1993), page 131:

     Like women sitting for two hours under the marcelling irons only to wonder two days later how soon they would need another appointment.

2. (transitive, figuratively) To wave.

References

• OED, 2nd edition

Anagrams

• Carmel, calmer, carmel