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Glite Dictionary
Roundhead

Roundhead

1 9.9
A person who supported Parliament against the king in the English Civil War
  • noun
  • Archaic
: Roundhead
  • Roundhead!

Examples

  • Oh,Tom,I've not seen a single black Roundhead hat in all the city,anywhere!

    The Exile (1947)

  • Roundheads here in Holland !?

    The Exile (1947)

  • I am to sit with a Roundhead ?

    The Exile (1947)

  • Some Roundhead followed him over -

    The Exile (1947)

  • Roundheads are desperate now,they stop at nothing

    The Exile (1947)

  • There are a few specials interspersed there, including one dedicated to the English Civil War, which our Roundhead friend above referenced.

    Blog text (28)

  • If those Roundheads...

    The Exile (1947)

  • Although the Scots signed the Solemn League and Covenant to support the Roundhead government in 1643, their support would not last long for two reasons.

    Academic text (2006)

  • In Canton, the "Roundhead" alternative to Gus Coggins in the form of a community leader was R. T. Jones. Jones had come to Canton in 1879 when the first railroad reached the town.

    Academic text (2013)

  • During the English Civil War, many Roundheads fought for Parliament against the Royalists.

Surface Forms

Roundhead singular
Roundheads plural

Morphology

Roundhead = round + head (opaque) = round + head

Although the components 'round' + 'head' are visible, the historical nickname meaning 'supporter of Parliament' is a specialized political/historical reference not predictable from the literal parts.

Etymology

Roundhead comes from a nickname made from round and head, given during the English Civil War to men who wore short, 'round' haircuts, unlike the long-haired royal supporters. So Roundhead means a supporter of Parliament who opposed the king.