coxcomb

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A conceited dandy; a fop.
2. n. Obsolete A jester's cap; a cockscomb.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The comb of a cock. See cockscomb, 1.
2. n. The comb, resembling that of a cock, which licensed fools formerly wore in their caps; hence, the fool's cap itself.
3. n. The top of the head, or the head itself.
4. n. A fop; a vain, showy fellow; a conceited and pretentious dunce.
5. n. A kind of silver lace frayed out at the edges.
6. n. Same as cockscomb, 2. Synonyms Coxcomb, Fop, Dandy, Exquisite, Beau, prig, popinjay, jackanapes. The first five are used only of men. The distinguishing characteristic of a coxcomb is vanity, which may be displayed in regard to accomplishments, looks, dress, etc., but perhaps most often as to accomplishments. Fop is not quite so broad as coxcomb, applying chiefly to one who displays vanity in dress and pertness in conversation, with a tendency to impertinence in manner. Dandy is applied only to one who gives excessive attention to elegance and perhaps affectation in dress. An exquisite is one who prides himself upon his superfine taste in dress, manners, language, etc., when a fair judgment would be that his taste is overwrought, petty, or affected. (See quotation from Bulwer, under exquisite.) Beau is an old name for one who has too much understanding to be a mere dandy, but still overdoes in the matter of dress, sometimes carrying it to an extreme, as Beau Nash, Beau Brummel. Beau Brummel might perhaps be called the typical fop.

Wiktionary

1. n. obsolete The cap of a court jester, adorned with a red stripe.
2. n. A foolish or conceited person; a dandy.
3. n. The fleshy red pate of a rooster.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A strip of red cloth notched like the comb of a cock, which licensed jesters formerly wore in their caps.
2. n. The cap itself.
3. n. The top of the head, or the head itself.
4. n. A vain, showy fellow; a conceited, silly man, fond of display; a superficial pretender to knowledge or accomplishments; a fop.
5. n. (Bot.) A name given to several plants of different genera, but particularly to Celosia cristata, or garden cockscomb. Same as Cockscomb.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. the fleshy red crest on the head of the domestic fowl and other gallinaceous birds
2. n. a cap worn by court jesters; adorned with a strip of red
3. n. a conceited dandy who is overly impressed by his own accomplishments