hairy
nounEtymology From haircut + -y.
hairy
adjUK /ˈhɛə.ɹi/ · US /ˈhɛɹ.i/
Etymology From Middle English hery, heeri, hary, equivalent to hair + -y. Compare Saterland Frisian hierich (“hairy”), West Frisian hierrich (“hairy”), Dutch harig (“hairy”), German Low German harig (“hairy”), German haarig (“hairy”), Swedish hårig (“hairy”), Icelandic hárugur (“hairy”). Compare also Old English hǣriht (“hairy”) and ġehǣre (“hairy”). The sense "terrifying, scary" possibly results from a blend of hair-raising and scary.
7 senses
1
Of a person Having a lot of body hair.
- a hairy man
2
Of an animal Having a lot of fur.
- Near-synonyms: long-haired, furry, fluffy
- hairy mammoth
3
Having hair growing from it.
Of a human body part other than the head
- hairy chest; hairy back
4
Uncommon Long-haired.
- yelling about dirty, hairy hippies
5
Seeming as if hair-covered or as if consisting of hair.
- Near-synonym: hairlike
- hairy cell leukemia
1 more example
- hairy moss
6
Informal Difficult, complex, intricate, or intimidating.
- It’s a hairy problem, and will probably take several weeks to sort out.
7
Informal Causing anxiety or fright; terrifying, scary.
- Some surfers prefer the hairy thrill of a big wave.1966, Bruce Brown, director, The Endless Summer:
- A couple people see her, watch her slide on by, don't get all hairy about it.1992, Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash, page 243:
- Derived terms
42 terms
Andean hairy armadillo, big, fat, hairy deal, big hairy armadillo, big hairy deal, black hairy tongue syndrome, hairily, hairiness, hairy arm, hairy armadillo, hairyback, hairy balls, hairy ball theorem, hairy banana, hairy canary, hairy cell, hairy click beetle, hairy Darling pea, hairy-eared dwarf lemur, hairy elbow syndrome, hairy eyeball, hairyfish, hairy frog, hairy hedgehog, hairy leukoplakia, hairy molly, hairy muff, hairyness, hairy nightshade, hairy panic, hairy-soled conyrat, hairy spider orchid, hairy-tailed mole, hairy willowherb, hairy woodpecker, nonhairy, northern hairy-nosed wombat, screaming hairy armadillo, Shanghai hairy crab, southern hairy-nosed wombat, the hairy hell, unhairy, Venus's hairstone- Related terms
- dasypygal