Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun plural Growths of hair down the sides of a man's face in front of the ears, especially when worn with the rest of the beard shaved off.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Facial hair reaching from the top of the head down the side of the face to the side of the chin.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Alteration of burnsides.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

After Ambrose Burnside (1824–1881).

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Examples

Comments

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  • I have a love-hate relationship with my sideburns. Most days they are intent on asymmetry. I would shave them if they weren't my single greatest physical attribute. Maybe I should work out.

    February 18, 2007

  • I've had Koreans refer to my sideburns (on more than one occasion) as "little beards." Hell, I'm adding that.

    February 18, 2007

  • What if you grew them both long enough to meet in the middle, under your chin?

    Never mind.

    February 18, 2007

  • Originally "burnside", from General Burnside (1824–1881).

    December 5, 2007