Widow's peak

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the hairline formation. For the 1994 British film, see Widows' Peak.

A widow's peak is a descending V-shaped point in the middle of the hairline (above the forehead). The trait is inherited genetically and dominant^{[citation needed]}. The term comes from English folklore, where it was believed that this hair formation was a sign of a woman who would outlive her husband.[1]

The peak refers to the beak or bill of a headdress, particularly a widow's hood, making people think a woman was being given a mourning hood for her husband's soon-to-be passing.[2] The peak is also believed to be a sign of sexual prowess in folklore ^{[citation needed]}.

Vampires such as Dracula are often depicted in popular culture with a widow's peak. Eddie Munster is another example of an individual with a widow's peak.

Men with male pattern baldness develop what appears to be a large widow's peak.