heads

American

[hedz] / hɛdz /

adjective

(of a coin) with the top, or obverse, facing up.

On the first toss, the coin came up heads.

heads British

/ hɛdz /

interjection

with the obverse side of a coin uppermost, esp if it has a head on it: used as a call before tossing a coin Compare tails
informal people in authority

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of heads

First recorded in 1675–85; head + -s ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He also heads the project "Direct and In-Line Filtration for the Removal of Microplastics from Drinking Water," which is funded by FAPESP.

From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026

Bass’ spending plan now heads to the council’s powerful Budget and Finance Committee, which is scheduled to spend several weeks reviewing it.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

“The reason China chose Hungary over Poland or Czechia was the friendship factor,” says Agnes Szunomar, who heads the Institute of Global Studies at Corvinus University of Budapest.

From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026

The crew is awaiting analysis on the root causes of the problem, but Wiseman said the engineers who made the toilet shouldn’t hang their heads low.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

A girl’s voice rang out, and all heads turned.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023