pointy

American  

[poin-tee] / ˈpɔɪn ti /

adjective

• pointier,
  comparative
• pointiest
  superlative

1. having a comparatively sharp point.

   The elf had pointy little ears.

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pointy British  

/ ˈpɔɪntɪ /

adjective

1. having a sharp point or points; pointed

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Other Word Forms

Adjective Inflected Forms

• pointier
  comparative
• pointiest
  superlative

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Etymology

Origin of pointy

First recorded in 1635–45; point + -y ¹

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Explanation

Anything that's pointy has a sharp, tapered end, like a pair of high-heeled shoes with uncomfortably pointy toes. Some pointy things are sharp enough to be dangerous, like kitchen knives, swords, and daggers, all of which taper to an extremely pointy tip. But plenty of objects you'd also describe as pointy aren't quite so treacherous, from your cat's pointy ears to your sister's witch hat she wears every year on Halloween. Pointy is from the Latin pungere, "to pierce." In the 20th century, calling an overly intellectual person "pointy-headed" was a common insult.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pointy pointier pointiest

This strange realm of pointy peaks, rocky caves and soaring condors is California’s youngest and smallest national park, set in the underappreciated middle of California, where farms, ranches and vineyards blanket the valleys and hills.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

"That's sometimes the pointy end of running a scheme like this, and that's just something you have to accept as part of a community fund."

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

They came of age when Orlando Bloom’s Legolas, kitted out in a blond wig, armor and prosthetic pointy ears, was a teen heartthrob.

From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2026

A small, goggle-eyed creature with pointy ears and a mouthful of jagged teeth has somehow become one of the defining consumer products this decade.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026

A tail poked out of one end, and the other end grew ears and a pointy little snout and made a tiny squeak.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Since pointier wings indicate stronger flying and dispersal abilities, the team predicted such birds would be better equipped to respond to environmental pressures than those with rounder wings.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 27, 2024

Coyotes, for example, have pointier snouts and longer ears.

From New York Times ● Jul. 7, 2023

Smaller than wolves with pointier muzzles and ears, eastern coyotes are now common in the region.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 26, 2022

Rickshaws also have a distinct appearance—a classic autorickshaw, for instance, is yellow and green—and Amazon’s rickshaws look, well, like pointier versions of the sleek gray Amazon vans.

From Slate ● Jan. 24, 2020

I’m taller and have lighter hair and skin than my cousins, with a pointier nose and eyes that only sometimes look Asian.

From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio

In fact, only the very pointiest decoy, the eight-sided die shape, got pushed out almost every time.

From New York Times ● Jan. 29, 2021

“Put animals in a small, closed space, and the one with the sharpest nails, the pointiest teeth wins.”

From New York Times ● Jul. 16, 2018

They're a linguistic tag-team, riffing off each other's answers and competing to make the pointiest barb.

From BBC ● Nov. 29, 2017

In broadcasting, it is not necessarily the sharpest wit but the pointiest elbow that often gets the prize.

From Time Magazine Archive

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