The New International Encyclopædia/Coif

COIF (from OF. coife, Fr. coiffe, It. cuffia, from ML. cofia, coif, from OHG. chuppa, cap under the helmet, from chuph, Ger. Kopf; connected with AS. cuppe, Engl. cup). (1) A covering for the head in general, but more especially for the circular portion on the crown, which certain of the Roman Catholic clergy in monastic orders are in the habit of shaving. (See Tonsure.) A special signification refers to the distinguishing mark of sergeants-at-law, which, though nothing but an insignificant black patch on top of the legal wig, is now the only reminiscence of the tonsure among English lawyers. On attaining the degrees of the coif, or becoming a sergeant, a barrister retires from the Inn of Court by which he was called to the bar and becomes a member of Sergeants' Inn.

(2) In the armor of the Middle Ages, a defensive hood, usually surmounted by a helmet, sometimes continuous with the hauberk, and sometimes separate.