horsehair

[ hawrs-hair ]

noun
  1. a hair or the hair of a horse, especially from the mane or tail.

  2. a sturdy, glossy fabric woven of this hair.

adjective
  1. of or relating to horsehair: a horsehair mattress.

Origin of horsehair

1
First recorded in 1275–1325, horsehair is from Middle English hors here. See horse, hair

Other words from horsehair

  • horsehaired, adjective

Words Nearby horsehair

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use horsehair in a sentence

  • They placed cotton and fine wool all about the room, and even endeavoured to construct small nests of wool and horsehair.

    Skipper Worse | Alexander Lange Kielland
  • A horsehair footstool, borrowed for the purpose from Mr. Diamond's parlour, was under her feet.

    A Charming Fellow, Volume II (of 3) | Frances Eleanor Trollope
  • He squeezed out the juice of flowers, made brushes of horsehair, and began to paint.

  • Vinegar eels, the horsehair worm, the pork worm or trichina and the dread hookworm are examples.

    A Civic Biology | George William Hunter
  • Mr. Furnival's reputation has spread itself wherever stuff gowns and horsehair wigs are held in estimation.

    Orley Farm | Anthony Trollope

British Dictionary definitions for horsehair

horsehair

/ (ˈhɔːsˌhɛə) /


noun
    • hair taken chiefly from the tail or mane of a horse, used in upholstery and for fabric, etc

    • (as modifier): a horsehair mattress

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012