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blow dryer

blow dryer

11 2.7
A small handheld electric device that blows warm air to dry and style hair
  • noun
  • /bloʊ ˈdraɪər/
  • US
translation icon : secador de pelo
  • Want me to hang on while you go get a blow-dryer?
  • use a blow dryer
  • brush and blow dryer
  • blow dryer and hair

This is my fancy smancy Dyson blow dryer that is powerful.

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Examples

  • But I need my blow-dryer.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Miss Kopalski had a short circuit in her blow dryer.

  • Next we're going to take the blow dryer and blow dry.

  • A man who, with one wave of his blow dryer, could make you a star.

  • The blow dryer doesn't even need to be on the hottest setting!

    Blog text (11)
  • This is my fancy smancy Dyson blow dryer that is powerful.

  • When I go home to visit my family, I never pack a blow dryer, curling iron, or hairspray.

    Blog text (14)
  • My favorite blow dryer, I think this is from CVS Revlon blow dryer.

  • I used a blow dryer to quickly dry my hair before the party.

  • Her blow dryer has several heat settings for different hair types.

Synonyms

blower
vsblow dryer
119 4.2

A machine like a fan that makes a strong flow of air to move, cool, or dry things

is specific to hand-held hair drying and styling rather than general air use
hair dryer
vsblow dryer
21 1.2

A small electric device that blows warm air to dry and style hair

applies more generally beyond only wet hair
hairdryer
vsblow dryer
4 1.0

A small machine that blows warm air to remove water from hair quickly

focuses on quick drying after washing rather than hand-held styling
hand blower
vsblow dryer
1 4.2

Small electric tool that sends warm air to dry hair

uses different phrasing but has the same practical meaning
hair drier
vsblow dryer
  • UK
1.6

A hand-held electric machine that blows warm air to dry and style hair

is the same but follows a different common spelling

How Effective

relaxer
3 6.0
straightener
3 3.5
blow dryer
  • US
11 2.7
comb
49 1.0
brush
145 1.0

Surface Forms

blow dryer singular
blow dryers plural
blow-dryers plural
blow-dryer singular

Morphology

blow + dryer

The compound meaning is directly derivable from the parts: 'blow' (to move/force air) + 'dryer' (an appliance that removes moisture) yields a device that dries by blowing air. Although 'dryer' is often exemplified with clothes, extending it to a hand-held device for hair is a straightforward and cross-linguistically common compositional pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both words would understand it.

Etymology

Blow dryer simply tells what it does: the machine blows warm air, so it is a dryer for hair. That's why it means a hand-held tool used to 'dry' and style hair.