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

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

From Salon

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

From BBC

A childhood Liverpool fan, she used to run around the house in a replica shirt, her curly hair slicked back to resemble Spanish striker Fernando Torres.

From BBC

“I recognized her because of her big, curly hair,” neighbor Kayleigh Cortez said.

From Los Angeles Times

He’s a dashing, square-jawed, clean-shaven matinee idol with a luxurious head of long, curly black hair.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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