fur

¹ American  

[fur] / fɜr /

noun

1. the fine, soft, thick, hairy coat of the skin of a mammal.

2. the skin of certain animals, as the sable, ermine, or beaver, covered with such a coat, used for lining, trimming, or making garments.

3. a garment made of fur.

4. any coating resembling or suggesting fur, as certain matter on the tongue.

5. Heraldry. any conventional representation of a fur, as ermine, vair, potent, or their variations.

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adjective

1. of or relating to fur, animal skins, dressed pelts, etc..

   a fur coat;

   a fur trader.

verb (used with object)

furred, furring

1. to line, face, or trim, with fur, as a garment.

2. Building Trades. to apply furring to (a wall, ceiling, etc.).

3. to clothe (a person) with fur.

4. to coat with foul or deposited matter.

idioms

1. make the fur fly,

   1. to cause a scene or disturbance, especially of a violent nature; make trouble.

      When the kids got mad they really made the fur fly.

   2. to do things quickly.

      He sure makes the fur fly when it’s his turn to do the housecleaning.

fur. ² American  

abbreviation

1. furlong; furlongs.

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fur ¹ British  

/ fɜː /

noun

1. the dense coat of fine silky hairs on such mammals as the cat, seal, and mink

2. 1. the dressed skin of certain fur-bearing animals, with the hair left on

   2. ( as modifier )

      a fur coat

3. a garment made of fur, such as a coat or stole

4. 1. a pile fabric made in imitation of animal fur

   2. a garment made from such a fabric

5. heraldry any of various stylized representations of animal pelts or their tinctures, esp ermine or vair, used in coats of arms

6. informal a whitish coating of cellular debris on the tongue, caused by excessive smoking, an upset stomach, etc

7. a whitish-grey deposit consisting chiefly of calcium carbonate precipitated from hard water onto the insides of pipes, boilers, and kettles

8. to cause a scene or disturbance

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verb

1. (tr) to line or trim a garment, etc, with fur

2. (often foll by up) to cover or become covered with a furlike lining or deposit

3. (tr) to clothe (a person) in a fur garment or garments

fur. ² British  

abbreviation

1. furlong

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fur More Idioms  

1. see make the dust (fur) fly.

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Other Word Forms

• furless adjective

Etymology

Origin of fur

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English furre (noun), derivative of furren “to trim with fur,” from Anglo-French furrer, Old French fo(u)rrer, originally “to encase,” derivative of fuerre “sheath,” from Germanic; akin to Old English fōdder “case, sheath,” Old Norse fōthr, Greek pṓma

Explanation

Fur is the fuzzy hair on an animal like a rabbit or a raccoon. One downside of having a cat or dog is that you often end up finding their fur all over your house. Most mammals have fur, dense soft coats that protect them from becoming too cold or hot. Northern dog breeds, for example, have a double coat of fur, with the dense bottom coat keeping them warm even in the snow. Sometimes fur is used to mean "an animal's pelt" or "clothing made from the fur of an animal." The phrase "to make the fur fly" means "to cause serious trouble."

Example Sentences

“We need to be looking for the next pandemic virus on fur farms, in hunting communities, and even at border checkpoints where wildlife are imported,” Carlson said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Alfie went to the vets for a check-up and had some mats of fur removed but has been given a clean bill of health.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

In Argentina, roughly 1,300 sea lions and fur seals perished.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

Next year’s “Gatto,” about a feline thief in Venice, features animal fur and human hair that look like they were painted by hand, rather than a computer trying to simulate the real thing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

His fur was hot from the insistent sun.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

• coat
• jacket
• pelt
• skin
• wool