late 13c., "close-fitting cap," from Old French coife "skull-cap, cap worn under a helmet, headgear" (12c., Modern French coiffe), from Late Latin coifa "a cap, hood" (so [..]

mid-15c., "to cover with a cap," from Middle French coiffer, from Old French coife (see coif (n.)); sense of "to arrange the hair" is attested in English from 1835. Related: Coifed [..]

A Mail

also Coiffe, or Coife mail coif, or head covering made of mail that covers the head and neck and is worn under the helmet.

Mail hood covering the head.    (Wise, Terence. Medieval Warfare, 247)

(n) the arrangement of the hair (especially a woman's hair)(n) a skullcap worn by nuns under a veil or by soldiers under a hood of mail or formerly by British sergeants-at-law(v) cover with a coi [..]

The coif of the old serjeant-at-law was a relic of his ecclesiastical character. The original serjeants-at-law were clerical lawyers, and the coif is the representation of the tonsure.

A hairdo A hood; a close-fitting cap covering much of the head, widespread until XVIII century; after that worn only by small children and countrywomen An item of chain mail headgear An offici [..]