The meaning of scarf
I would like to know if scarf can have two meanings. This:
And this:
The problem is that, in Spain, we say "bufanda" for the first (the scarf made of wool) and "pañuelo para el cuello" for the second. And I would like to know if in English you use the same word.
Thank you.
8 Answers
In my region, scarf is used to refer to any kind of neck wrap. Children here are not allowed to wear scarves to school because there have been incidents where the scarves have become caught in playground equipment, resulting in the strangulation of the child.
Our snowman can wear a scarf though.
Agreed, in the U.S. we would call each of those a scarf, as well as triangular or square pieces of lightweight material, often printed, worn on the head.
There is also a colloquial use of the word as a verb, "to scarf down," meaning to eat greedily or rapidly.
In England and I think the whole of the UK the word scarf is used to mean a piece of material worn around the neck to give warmth. We do not use another word to the best of my knowledge. Different words are used for wraps around the head and tie-ups around the waist.
Scarf: worn around the neck
Head scarf sometimes worn by ladies around the head
Sashes: worn diagonally across the body usually from top right shoulder to left position near the waist.Maybe worn by men or women.
Cumberbands: sometimes worn around the waist by gentlemen on very big, special occasions eg grand balls and parties
A scarf is piece of material worn on the head, neck or shoulders. In the U.S. we don´t distinguish between types of scarves. We might call of scarf worn on the head a headscarf, but that about it.
There are multiple definitions for the word "scarf".
a broad band (as of cloth, wool) worn about the shoulders, around the neck, over the head, or about the waist. (escarpe - French)
either of the ends that will join together to form a scarf joint; a joint made of beveling, halving, or notching two pieces to correspond to lapping and bolting them
(Websters dictionary)
there is a localized use of the verb "scarf" meaning to scrape up material
I'll call both the above a scarf, but my wife would probably call the top one a muffler.
Hope that helps!
Hola, They are both scarves (plural can be 'scarfs' too!). For something you use to blow your nose we say: 'handkerchief', or 'hanky' for short and there is another word: 'shawl'. This is usually worn by woman over the shoulders and is usually made of lighter/finer material…
…Hope that helps!
In the U.S. we call both of them scarves.
One is a wool scarf and the other is a silk (or cotton) scarf.
Hi Nila - well the first one (wool) is technically a muffler - but depending where you live I don't think people use that word much! 
