hoary

[hawr-ee, hohr-ee]

adjective

hoarier, hoariest 

1. gray or white with age.

   an old dog with a hoary muzzle.

   Synonyms: hoar, grizzly, grizzled

2. ancient or venerable.

   hoary myths.

   Synonyms: revered, aged, dated, old

3. tedious from familiarity; stale.

   Please don't tell that hoary joke at dinner again tonight.

hoary

/ ˈhɔːrɪ /

adjective

1. having grey or white hair

2. white or whitish-grey in colour

3. ancient or venerable

Other Word Forms

• hoarily adverb
• hoariness noun
• unhoary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hoary¹

First recorded in 1520–30; hoar + -y ¹

Example Sentences

But sometime over this last winter — that numbing, hoary stretch between mid-February and March — I decided this might be the year to reclaim a bit of seasonal delight.

From Salon

One hates to indulge hoary ideas about happiness being bad for songwriters.

From Los Angeles Times

He is a hoary phoenix rising from the ashes of his own stench so often he resembles the s**t demon in “Dogma.”

From Salon

Some take comfort in hoary comic patterns, souped-up eccentricity and reassuring pieties.

From Los Angeles Times

Republican operatives learned from Bush that falsified evidence is an excellent way to manufacture public consent, to use a hoary academic term.

From Salon

Related Words

• age-old 
• antiquated 
• timeworn