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

Example Sentences

It has been trying to restore the woodlands by introducing downy birch, sessile oak, hazel, willow, aspen and alder as well as endangered tree species such as Arran whitebeam.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2025

She manages to weave sounds together that shouldn’t quite fit together, finding congruency in her downy melodies and romantic lyricism.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 4, 2023

"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

With the downy face and swinging flaps of skin under her arms.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr