haystack

[ hey-stak ]

noun

1. a stack of hay with a conical or ridged top, built up in the mowed field so as to prevent the accumulation of moisture and promote drying.

haystack

/ ˈheɪˌrɪk; ˈheɪˌstæk /

noun

1. a large pile of hay, esp one built in the open air and covered with thatch

Word History and Origins

Origin of haystack¹

1425–75; late Middle English. See hay, stack

Idioms and Phrases

see needle in a haystack .

Example Sentences

“I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is a needle in a haystack,’” she remembers.

From Los Angeles Times

“A needle in a haystack would be easier to find than a ring in this house,” he told the couple.

From Los Angeles Times

"It was like finding a needle in a haystack, and to rediscover this year was momentous," said James Penca, a Titanic researcher and presenter of the Witness Titanic podcast.

From BBC

Mainly because of the conversation we had had earlier that day and the process of finding this actress in a haystack of auditions and instantly knowing her potential and then seeing her recognized and rewarded at the highest level of television — it was one of the most exciting moments for me certainly of that night.

From Los Angeles Times

"It was like finding a needle in a haystack, and to rediscover her this year was momentous," said James Penca, Titanic researcher and presenter of the Witness Titanic podcast.

From BBC