TKWNKM: I don’t think that word means what you think it means > Likes and Comments

I’m enjoying the book, but - and I know this is a small hill to die on - as far as I’m aware, a coif is basically a hat. At most, it’s a head covering that also covers the neck. I can’t for the life of me work out how everyone seems to be using one to hide their face. What am I missing?

Every time I come across this, it pulls me out of the story.

Steve wrote: "I’m enjoying the book, but - and I know this is a small hill to die on - as far as I’m aware, a coif is basically a hat. At most, it’s a head covering that also covers the neck. I can’t for the lif..."

I'm not reading the book but coif also means hairstyle, as in coiffure. Would that make sense in the context? Can they be wearing their hair over their face?

*shrug* There were a few terms I had to look up but that one didn't register. If anything the references to up-to-the-minute real world stuff were a little jarring.

I remember thinking it was an odd choice also when I first came across it in the book (I am listening so did not get the spelling) but might she refer to a (chain)mail coif that would fit with a warrior and some examples covers part of the face.
To my modern eye they look a bit dorky rather than "bad ass" but that might be an out of context problem.

Here ya go.
https://www.outfit4events.cz/images/p...

Update:
At about 37% in, the text states that the mystery man wears a "lancer's coif", which also hides the face. Perhaps something like this?
https://uketsyshop.com/wp-content/upl...

Yes, I can find a small number of cosplay examples that cover the face, but they seem to owe more to the imagination of modern designers than to any historical examples. My guess is that it’s the sort of thing you might see at a ren faire, rather than something that would have been particularly practical in real life.

I’m trying to frame it in my mind as simply being a fantasy item of clothing. Given the fantasy setting, that’s perfectly reasonable - I just need to stop picturing an actual historical coif every time the word comes up.

Amusingly, the AI search summary for a coif that covers the face actually cites this very book as an example, which feels slightly circular!

Hm, I wonder why choke on this particular nugget. I mean, I don't know of any actual medieval situations where magic existed. Or where a large house could be supported solely on the sale of speciality soap. Or had magical beasts that ate other magical beasts to survive. It's a fantasy world. A big chunk of this IS a Renfaire brought to life.

John (Taloni) wrote: "Hm, I wonder why choke on this particular nugget. I mean, I don't know of any actual medieval situations where magic existed. Or where a large house could be supported solely on the sale of special..."

Ah John, but we are nerds! We go down obscure rabbit holes just for grins.
🙂🐰🕳

Yes, as I say, I am trying to mentally frame this as just a fantasy oddity, but it’s such a specific, slightly obscure word. Why pick that one?

I grok'd coif and got this answer:

"Historical headwear: A simple, close-fitting cap (often of white linen) worn by both men and women from the Middle Ages into the early modern period. It was typically tied under the chin and worn alone indoors or under other headgear (like hoods, hats, or veils). Women sometimes wore decorated versions with embroidery or lace.
Religious use: Still part of some traditional Catholic nuns’ habits—a white cap worn under the veil.
Legal tradition: A white silk or lawn cap once worn by English serjeants-at-law (a senior rank of barrister). This is the origin of the U.S. law-school honor society called the Order of the Coif.
Armor: A mail (chain-mail) coif that covered the head, neck, and sometimes shoulders, worn under a helmet.

When I asked about the armor reference:

"The armor reference comes from standard historical definitions of the term.
A mail coif (also called a chainmail coif) was a common piece of medieval armor: a hood of interlinked metal rings that covered the head, neck, and often the upper shoulders, typically worn under a helmet. This usage is documented in multiple reliable sources:

Wikipedia describes it directly: “A mail coif was a type of armour, made of mail, which covered the head (face excluded), neck and shoulders.”

Wiktionary lists it as one of the historical senses: “a similar item of mail armour covering the head.”

Merriam-Webster notes a related protective metal skullcap “formerly worn under a hood of mail.”

Dictionary.com includes it under armor: “a covering for the head and neck, made of leather, padded cloth, or mail.”

It’s a well-attested secondary meaning of “coif,” distinct from the fabric cap or the modern hairstyle sense.

Huh! I was today years old when I learned the various meanings of "coif"!