haggard

¹

[ hag-erd ]

adjective

1. having a gaunt, wasted, or exhausted appearance, as from prolonged suffering, exertion, or anxiety; worn:

   the haggard faces of the tired troops.

   Synonyms: hollow-eyed, drawn, emaciated

   Antonyms: robust

2. Archaic. wild; wild-looking:

   haggard eyes.

3. Falconry. (especially of a hawk caught after it has attained adult plumage) untamed.

noun

1. Falconry. a wild or untamed hawk caught after it has assumed adult plumage.

Haggard

²

[ hag-erd ]

noun

1. (Sir) H(enry) Rider, 1856–1925, English novelist.

haggard

¹

/ ˈhæɡəd /

adjective

1. careworn or gaunt, as from lack of sleep, anxiety, or starvation
2. wild or unruly
3. (of a hawk) having reached maturity in the wild before being caught

noun

1. falconry a hawk that has reached maturity before being caught Compare eyas passage hawk

haggard

²

/ ˈhæɡərd /

noun

1. (in Ireland and the Isle of Man) an enclosure beside a farmhouse in which crops are stored

Haggard

³

/ ˈhæɡəd /

noun

1. HaggardSir (Henry) Rider18561925MBritishWRITING: adventure story writer Sir ( Henry ) Rider . 1856–1925, British author of romantic adventure stories, including King Solomon's Mines (1885)

Derived Forms

• ˈhaggardness, noun
• ˈhaggardly, adverb

Other Words From

• haggard·ly adverb
• haggard·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of haggard¹

First recorded in 1560–70; originally, “wild female hawk”; hag ¹, -ard

Word History and Origins

Origin of haggard¹

C16: from Old French hagard wild; perhaps related to hedge

Origin of haggard²

C16: related to Old Norse heygarthr, from hey hay + garthr yard

Example Sentences

The household in the 1970s was routinely described as a three-ring circus filled with rowdy kids, lost pets and haggard servants who often quit in frustration, saying Ethel was difficult to work for.

From Los Angeles Times

“Firstly, it was fun getting to see George a few years on and so haggard, and kind of just stuck in this horrible spiral of just needing more. But the stabbing was so fun.”

From Salon

“It’s always lonely at conventions like this,” McCloskey, haggard and hoarse, told reporters.

From Los Angeles Times

It wasn’t fair to her “happy baby” to come home haggard and surly.

From New York Times

That night, he looked haggard, aged beyond recognition, according to surveillance video and witness accounts.

From Los Angeles Times