HAIK, a piece of cloth, usually of coarse hand-woven wool, worn by Arabs, Moors and other Mohammedan peoples (Arabic hak, to weave). It is generally 6 to 64 yd. long, and about 2 yd. broad. It is either striped or plain, and is worn equally by both sexes, usually as an outer covering, but it is often the only gar ment of the poorer classes. Women arrange the "haik" to cover the head and, in the presence of men, hold it so as to conceal the face. A thin "haik" of silk, like a veil, is used by brides at their marriage.