bandeau
/bɑ̃.do/
The English phrase hair band is translated into French as bandeau.
bandeau refers to a strip of fabric or plastic worn around the head to hold hair back from the face.
Which one should you use?
The term bandeau specifically refers to a wider strip of fabric or a headband, rather than a thin elastic hair tie. If the hair band is a rigid plastic piece that goes over the top of the head, it is more commonly called a serre-tête.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is masculine, so you would use the article un.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɑ̃.do/ (2 syllables)
Did you know?
- The word serre-tête literally translates to 'head-seizer' or 'head-gripper', reflecting the way the plastic band grips the skull.
- In French fashion terminology, the term bandeau can also refer to a specific style of bra that provides a straight silhouette across the chest.
- In French publishing and journalism, a bandeau is the thin strip of paper wrapped around a book cover or the banner at the top of a newspaper page.
Examples in context
- Ma fille porte un serre-tête assorti à sa tenue.My daughter is wearing a hair band that matches her outfit.
- J'ai acheté un bandeau de cheveux pour retenir mes mèches.I bought a hair band to keep my strands in place.
- J'adore ton serre-tête, il te va très bien.I love your hair band, it looks great on you.
- Elle porte un bandeau bleu dans ses cheveux.She is wearing a blue hair band in her hair.
- J'ai besoin d'un bandeau pour dégager mon visage.I need a hair band to keep my hair out of my face.
- Ce bandeau est très confortable pour le sport.This hair band is very comfortable for sports.
Example conversation
Emma is getting ready to go for a run and cannot find her accessory.
- NathanEmma, tu as vu mon bandeau ?Emma, have you seen my hair band?
- EmmaIl est sur la table, Nathan.It is on the table, Nathan.
- NathanMerci, je vais l'utiliser pour courir.Thanks, I am going to use it to run.
- EmmaBon courage pour ta séance !Good luck with your workout!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bandeau, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
