snood

A snood is a term in English with several related senses. It can refer to a hairnet or hair covering used to secure a hairstyle, a close-fitting tubular scarf worn around the neck that can be pulled up to cover the head, or a fleshy protuberance on the heads of certain birds.

Historically, snoods were worn to hold and protect hair, especially in Europe from the early modern period onward. They varied from woven nets and knitted bands to decorative lace or fabric coverings and were often worn under hats or headdresses. In the 20th century, the term was adopted for a modern, tubular neck- and head-covering made from knit fabric, commonly used for warmth or as a fashion accessory.

In ornithology, the snood refers to the soft, fleshy appendage that hangs over a bird’s beak, most notably in turkeys. The snood can change color and size with the bird’s emotional state or level of arousal and is sometimes involved in mating displays and social signaling.

Etymology for snood is uncertain; the word appears in English from the Middle Ages, and its exact origin is not definitively established. The term has persisted in both historical fashion contexts and contemporary usage, and it also appears in discussions of avian anatomy.