bearded
Americanadjective
-
having a beard.
-
having a hairlike growth or tuft, as certain wheats.
-
having a barb, as a fishhook.
Other Word Forms
- beardedness noun
- nonbearded adjective
- unbearded adjective
Etymology
Origin of bearded
First recorded in 1350–1400, bearded is from the Middle English word beerdid. See beard, -ed 3
Explanation
Someone who's bearded has a beard. If your grandfather is often mistaken for Santa Claus because of his bushy white beard, you can describe him as bearded. Men with beards — whether they're trimmed short or worn long and full — are bearded. Women can be bearded as well, though it's less common, and so can Billy goats, with their tufted little beards. The adjective bearded is sometimes even used to describe plants, like the bearded iris, which grows a prominent bushy "beard" on its lower petals. Bearded comes from the noun beard, with its Germanic root, barthaz.
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.
The success of the bearded, ass-kicking Ranger marked a stunning reversal of fortune for Norris, who grew up a shy, unathletic child, who "used to daydream about being strong...to beat up the bullies".
From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026
Painted in about 1598, it shows Barberini as a bearded cleric apparently issuing instructions with his right hand outstretched.
From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026
He is bearded and buff; she is a porcelain doll with Wednesday Addams hair and skin.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026
The bearded man gives us a count: One, two, three …
From Slate • Feb. 11, 2026
A woman who’s just gotten her clothes bagged walks away from the table, and as the next person comes up, the bearded man’s eyes roam the room and land on Courtney and me.
From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone
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.
