hairball

American  

[hair-bawl] / ˈhɛərˌbɔl /

noun

1. a ball of hair accumulated in the stomach or intestines of a cat or other animal as a result of the animal's licking its coat.

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hairball British  

/ ˈhɛəˌbɔːl /

noun

1. a compact mass of hair that forms in the stomach of cats, calves, etc, as a result of licking and swallowing the fur, and causes vomiting, coughing, bloat, weight loss, and depression

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Etymology

Origin of hairball

First recorded in 1705–15; hair + ball ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hairball

Munch, a friendly, purple-ish hairball of a creature, was once the anchor of Chuck E. Cheese’s Make Believe Band.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2025

The collection includes George Washington’s death announcement, a mummified cat and even a giant hairball.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 15, 2023

Then one day Scout vomited up a hairball — but not just any hairball.

From Salon ● Nov. 30, 2022

But the cough could have been caused by something as simple as a hairball, he said, and the keepers were unsure what it meant.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 8, 2021

When I looked at the hairball on the payload, I didn’t see the eighth grade president; I saw the Super Bowl champions.

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman