Goatee

Agoateeis a style offacial hairincorporating hair on one'schinbut not the cheeks. The exact nature of the style has varied according to time and culture.

Description[edit]

Until the late 20th century, the termgoateewas used to refer solely to abeardformed by a tuft of hair on the chin—as on the chin of agoat,hence the term 'goatee'.^[1]By the 1990s, the word had become anumbrella termused to refer to any facial hair style incorporating hair on the chin but not the cheeks;^[2]there is debate over whether this style is correctly called a goatee or aVan Dyke.^[3]

History[edit]

The style dates back toAncient GreeceandAncient Rome.The godPanwas traditionally depicted with goat-like features, including a goatee. WhenChristianitybecame the dominant religion and began copying imagery frompaganmyth,Satanwas given the likeness of Pan,^[4]leading to Satan traditionally being depicted with a goatee^[5]inmedieval artandRenaissance art.

The goatee would not enjoy widespread popularity again until the 1940s, when it became a defining trait of thebeatniksin the post-World War IIUnited States. The style remained popular amongst the counter-culture until the 1960s before falling out of favor again. In the 1990s, goatees with incorporated mustaches became fashionable for men across all socioeconomic classes and professions, and have remained popular into the 2010s.