hairline

American  

[hair-lahyn] / ˈhɛərˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a very slender line.

2. the lower edge of the hair, especially along the upper forehead.

   a hairline that slowly receded.

3. worsted fabric woven with very fine lines or stripes.

4. Printing.

   1. a very thin line on the face of a type.

   2. a style of type consisting entirely of such lines. line.

   3. a thin rule for printing fine lines. line.

   4. undesirable vertical lines line between letters, caused by worn matrices.

---

adjective

1. narrow or fine as a hair.

   a hairline fracture.

hairline British  

/ ˈhɛəˌlaɪn /

noun

1. the natural margin formed by hair on the head

2. 1. a very narrow line

   2. ( as modifier )

      a hairline crack

3. printing

   1. a thin stroke in a typeface

   2. any typeface consisting of such strokes

   3. thin lines beside a character, produced by worn or poorly cast type

4. a rope or line of hair

---

Etymology

Origin of hairline

First recorded in 1725–35; hair + line ¹

Example Sentences

Not those hairline millimetre is he on or off line drawing nonsense situations.

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2026

But neither of his grandfathers had much; his father has a receding hairline.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

Before their 7-5, series-clinching win over the Giants, the Dodgers found out that catcher Will Smith is dealing with a hairline fracture in his right hand.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 21, 2025

With chilling nonchalance, Victor observes the start of a hairline fracture that will eventually produce a painful crack.

From Salon • Jul. 28, 2025

The gap was as wide as her little finger on the inside, but it narrowed to a hairline outside.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Related Words

• delicious
• delightful
• elegant
• exquisite
• fragile
• gentle
• graceful
• mild
• rare
• soft
• subtle
• tender