décoiffer

to dishevel, mess up (hair)

verb deh-kwah-FEH Rare

Origin: from dé- (un-) + coiffer 'to style hair'

Also means

to blow one's mind (figurative, colloquial)

Usage Note

Décoiffer literally means to undo a hairstyle, leaving hair messy. Colloquially, ça décoiffe ('it blows your hair back') describes something strikingly impressive or shocking — a strong film, a spicy dish, or a bold statement. The opposite verb is coiffer.

Examples

"Le vent l'a complètement décoiffée."

Natural Translation

The wind completely dishevelled her hair.

Literal Translation

The wind her completely dishevelled.

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