hairy
Americanadjective
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having or covered with hair
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slang
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difficult or problematic
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scaring, dangerous, or exciting
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of hairy
First recorded in 1250–1300, hairy is from the Middle English word heeri. See hair, -y 1
Explanation
Hairy things are furry or fuzzy — covered with hair. If your hairy dog lies on your bed, your bed may end up hairy as well. If your dad has a bushy beard, he has a hairy face, and while some kinds of caterpillars are sleek and smooth, others are hairy. Informally, you can also use hairy to mean "scary." The biggest roller coaster at an amusement park will probably have a few hairy loops and turns. This slang meaning has evolved from its original use as "difficult," dating back to the 1840s.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"When an innovation takes such deep root in the lives of children, we cannot make an improvised response," France's high commissioner for children Sarah El Hairy said Monday.
From Barron's • Jun. 16, 2026
Behind the music was a man whose musical talent was matched by a devilish sense of self-deprecating humour – referring to himself as "Hairy Styles" and clapping back at his critics.
From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026
The widow of Hairy Biker Dave Myers and the author of detective drama Vera have urged people to speak about grief after the deaths of their husbands.
From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026
And France's commissioner for children Sarah El Hairy said Tuesday she had referred Grok's generated images to French prosecutors, the Arcom media regulator and the European Union.
From Barron's • Jan. 14, 2026
In the story, this boy named Wiley went looking for poles to build a hen roost, and the Hairy Man attacked him, but Wiley’s hounds scared him off.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
