Combs

A comb is a rigid, flat tool with a row of teeth designed to groom, separate, or align materials. In everyday use, it is employed to detangle and style hair or fur, but the term also applies to structures that have tooth-like projections. Combs vary by material, tooth spacing, and overall shape.

Hair combs come in many forms. Pocket and grooming combs with wide teeth are suited to thick or curly hair, while fine-tooth and rat-tail designs aid precision sectioning and styling. Materials range from plastic to wood, horn, steel, and decorative dental-metal alloys. Proper care includes regular cleaning and avoiding heat that can warp plastic.

In biology and beekeeping, the term comb describes two related but distinct ideas. The honeycomb is the hexagonal wax cell structure built by honeybees to store honey, pollen, and brood. The comb on a bird's head—most notably the chicken comb—refers to a fleshy crest whose size and shape vary by breed and may influence social signaling and thermoregulation.

Outside physical objects, to comb means to search meticulously, examine closely, or separate items in a systematic way. The term appears in phrases such as combing through records, or combing a fiber stream in manufacturing.