hairball

[hair-bawl]

noun

1. a ball of hair accumulated in the stomach or intestines of a cat or other animal as a result of the animal's licking its coat.

hairball

/ ˈhɛəˌbɔːl /

noun

1. a compact mass of hair that forms in the stomach of cats, calves, etc, as a result of licking and swallowing the fur, and causes vomiting, coughing, bloat, weight loss, and depression

Word History and Origins

Origin of hairball¹

First recorded in 1705–15; hair + ball ¹

Example Sentences

Munch, a friendly, purple-ish hairball of a creature, was once the anchor of Chuck E. Cheese’s Make Believe Band.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

I woke up in the middle of the night — in that middle part between sleep and awake — to what sounded like a cat coughing up a hairball.

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The little Human looked like he was about to cough up a hairball.

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The collection includes George Washington’s death announcement, a mummified cat and even a giant hairball.

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Then one day Scout vomited up a hairball — but not just any hairball.

Read more on Salon