frizzy

American  

[friz-ee] / ˈfrɪz i /

adjective

frizzier, frizziest

1. formed into small, tight curls, as hair; frizzed. frizz.

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frizzy British  

/ ˈfrɪzɪ, ˈfrɪzlɪ /

adjective

1. (of the hair) in tight crisp wiry curls

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Other Word Forms

• frizzily adverb
• frizziness noun
• unfrizzy adjective

Etymology

Origin of frizzy

First recorded in 1865–70; frizz ¹ + -y ¹

Explanation

Frizzy things are curled tightly. Your dog's frizzy fur might be especially hard to brush. You'll most often find the adjective frizzy describing hair. Frizzy hair has with small, tight curls that tend to get kinky or fuzzy. People with straight hair are sometimes envious of their friends with frizzy hair, but the opposite is also true. Frizzy was coined in the 1840s, from the older word frizz, which probably comes from the French friser, "to curl or dress the hair."

Example Sentences

But in a 1989 profile by the US Drug Enforcement Administration, he has frizzy hair and rougher features.

From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026

With her long, frizzy hair, musicality and earth-mother vibe, Ms. King fit in, though she was comparatively unfree, being “a single mother when most of the women around her were not.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025

Her frizzy hairstyle and lasso try celebration have attracted attention, resulting in the Red Roses selling red cowboy hats.

From BBC • Aug. 18, 2025

To the end of his life, he had the aura of a nervous whiz kid with oversize glasses and frizzy hair.

From New York Times • May 5, 2024

She put her fingers up to her face, felt the wide nose and thin bps, the too-high forehead and tangled mass of frizzy hair.

From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld