Keffiyeh

Keffiyeh

Noun · /kəˈfiː.jə/

Definition

A traditional Middle Eastern headdress made of a square of cotton cloth, usually chequered in white and black or white and red, worn folded and secured by a cord (agal); it has become an international political symbol.

Origin

From Arabic kūfīyah, believed to derive from the city of Kufa in Iraq, which was historically a centre of textile production. The cloth style associated with Kufa gave its name to the headdress. Used in English from the 20th century.