What is a Catholic nuns headdress called?

Answer 1

A white coif is the what a Catholic nun's headdress is called. The black veil is worn over the coif.

Catholic Answer Most Catholic nuns wear a veil, under the veil is usually a wimple and/or coif, and perhaps an underveil. Some sisters wear a coronet, and some sisters wear a bonnet.

Answer 2

Catholic AnswerThere are two kinds of head dress worn by Catholic nuns: 1) a veil, which is a long piece of cloth that covers the head and hangs down the side and backs, or a 2) coronet, which is the "Flying Nun" kind of head dress, the Sisters of Charity in Paris were famous for their coronets. A wimple is a piece of cloth that goes around the neck, under the chin, and up over the head - it's purpose is to cover the neck. A third kind which some Orders used to use was a bonnet. The Sisters of Charity in France wore the coronet, the Sisters of Charity in the United States (Mother Ann Seton's Order) wore bonnets.