curly

[kur-lee]

adjective

curlier, curliest 

1. curling curling or tending to curl.

   curly blond hair.

2. having curls (usually used in combination).

   curlyheaded.

3. having a rippled or undulating appearance, as cut and finished wood.

   curly maple.

curly

/ ˈkɜːlɪ /

adjective

1. tending to curl; curling

2. having curls

3. (of timber) having irregular curves or waves in the grain

4. difficult to counter or answer

   a curly question

Other Word Forms

• curliness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of curly¹

First recorded in 1720–30; curl + -y ¹

Example Sentences

But Mr. Johnson, despite looking like a different man under prosthetics and a mop of curly hair, isn’t especially impressive, continuing to exhibit very little mastery of either facial expressions or voice.

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In the video, the suspect appeared to be a white man with long curly brown hair, according to a law enforcement source who wasn’t authorized to discuss the case publicly and requested anonymity.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

She visited the corner store almost every day with her friends, wearing a backpack and her usual long, curly black hair.

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Tricoci Salon & Spa – I have big, curly hair, so I know a thing or two about haircuts.

Read more on Salon

Her forfeit was to straighten her mop of curly hair for the team's evening meal.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• coiled www.thesaurus.com
• curled www.thesaurus.com
• fuzzy 
• kinky 
• wavy