downy

American  

[dou-nee] / ˈdaʊ ni /

adjective

downier, downiest

1. of the nature of or resembling down; fluffy; soft.

2. made of down.

3. covered with down.

4. soft; soothing.

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downy British  

/ ˈdaʊnɪ /

adjective

1. covered with soft fine hair or feathers

2. light, soft, and fluffy

3. made from or filled with down

4. resembling downs; undulating

5. slang sharp-witted; knowing

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Other Word Forms

• downily adverb
• downiness noun

Etymology

Origin of downy

First recorded in 1540–50; down ² + -y ¹

Explanation

Things that are downy are very soft and fluffy. Babies are sometimes born with little tufts of downy hair on their heads. A teenage boy who wants to grow a beard will be frustrated by the downy hairs on his chin, and you could also describe the feeling of a peach as downy. When you rip your winter coat, the downy feathers inside might start floating out behind you in a trail wherever you go. These are also known as down, or the soft feathers that typically grow on a young bird — this is the origin, in fact, of downy.

Example Sentences

His earliest memories of fabric were totally sensory, he said, recalling the downy feel of a jamawar shawl at home in Srinagar and the soft warmth of his mother's shahtoosh saris.

From BBC • Nov. 1, 2024

Disease-resistance abbreviations like A and DM indicate that a plant is resistant to anthracnose and downy mildew respectively, crucial information if your garden has had issues with these.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 12, 2024

"Our hypothesis is that these bladder cells also protect against other plant diseases like downy mildew, a fungal disease which severely limits quinoa yields," says Max Moog.

From Science Daily • Nov. 22, 2023

The Italian government last month allocated a modest one million euros to help grape producers hurt by downy mildew.

From Reuters • Sep. 15, 2023

Kendra recognized the blue one as the downy fountain sprite she had seen in Grandpa’s office.

From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull