hairy

[ hair-ee ]

adjective

, hair·i·er, hair·i·est.

1. covered with hair; having much hair.

   Synonyms: shaggy, woolly, furry

2. consisting of or resembling hair:

   moss of a hairy texture.

3. Informal.
   1. causing anxiety or fright:

      a hairy trip through the rapids.

   2. full of hardship or difficulty:

      a hairy exam; a hairy illness.

hairy

/ ˈhɛərɪ /

adjective

1. having or covered with hair
2. slang.
   1. difficult or problematic
   2. scaring, dangerous, or exciting

Derived Forms

• ˈhairiness, noun

Other Words From

• hairi·ness noun
• un·hairi·ness noun
• un·hairy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hairy¹

First recorded in 1250–1300, hairy is from the Middle English word heeri. See hair, -y ¹

Example Sentences

I’m going to go ahead and drag out that hairy old cliché, it was all downhill from there, because, God help us, it was.

From Salon

He described her eventual capture on 20 September as "a bit of a hairy situation", with rescuers wading into a pond to coax her into a cage.

From BBC

We watch as he stalks a small taitetú - a hairy, wild pig - which manages to sneak away through the foliage and escape.

From BBC

Nothing gets too hairy; the silliness of the situation dominates the tone.

From Los Angeles Times

Apply that to any situation that is a little bit hairy,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• furry
• fuzzy
• shaggy
• unshaven
• woolly