wool

American  

[wool] / wʊl /

noun

wool plural

1. the fine, soft, curly hair that forms the fleece of sheep and certain other animals, characterized by minute, overlapping surface scales that give it its felting property.

2. fabrics and garments of such wool.

3. yarn made of such wool.

4. any of various substances used commercially as substitutes for the wool of sheep or other animals.

5. any of certain vegetable fibers, as cotton or flax, used as wool, especially after preparation by special process vegetable wool.

6. any finely fibrous or filamentous matter suggestive of the wool of sheep.

   glass wool; steel wool.

7. any coating of short, fine hairs or hairlike processes, as on a caterpillar or a plant; pubescence.

8. Informal. the human hair, especially when short, thick, and crisp.

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idioms

1. dyed in the wool, inveterate; confirmed.

   a dyed in the wool sinner.

2. pull the wool over someone's eyes, to deceive or delude someone.

   The boy thought that by hiding the broken dish he could pull the wool over his mother's eyes.

3. all wool and a yard wide, genuine; excellent; sincere.

   He was a real friend, all wool and a yard wide.

wool British  

/ wʊl /

noun

1. the outer coat of sheep, yaks, etc, which consists of short curly hairs

2. yarn spun from the coat of sheep, etc, used in weaving, knitting, etc

3. 1. cloth or a garment made from this yarn

   2. ( as modifier )

      a wool dress

4. any of certain fibrous materials

   glass wool

   steel wool

5. informal short thick curly hair

6. a tangled mass of soft fine hairs that occurs in certain plants

7. confirmed in one's beliefs or opinions

8. to deceive or delude someone

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wool More Idioms  

1. see all wool and a yard wide; pull the wool over someone's eyes.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonwool
  adjective
• wool-like
  adjective
• woollike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• wool
  plural

Etymology

Origin of wool

before 900; Middle English wolle, Old English wull ( e ), cognate with Dutch wol, German Wolle, Old Norse ull, Gothic wulla; akin to Latin lāna, Sanskrit ūrṇā, Welsh gwlân wool, Latin vellus fleece, Greek oúlos woolly

Explanation

Wool is a fiber that comes from a sheep's or goat's hair and is used for knitting sweaters and weaving blankets. Better put on your wool hat and scarf — it's freezing out there! Most wool comes from the fleece of sheep, although extra soft specialty wool (like cashmere and angora) comes from goats. In order to process wool so that it can be used to make clothing, rugs, and blankets, sheep must first be shorn. Once their fleece is cut off, it's washed and spun into yarn. If someone "pulls the wool over your eyes," they successfully fool or trick you.

Example Sentences

Embroidered in wool thread, the tapestry tells its story in words and images, but its origins have remained shrouded in some mystery and much speculation.

From Barron's • Jul. 8, 2026

When Allbirds went public in 2021, it was valued at $4 billion and attracted many investors, including actor Leonardo DiCaprio, with its shoe model made from wool and eucalyptus.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026

You know those wool pockets that pro players sheathe over their golf clubs?

From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026

They were an odd pair: The middle-aged man, wearing a wool overcoat and what looked like an ill-fitting gray toupee, barely spoke.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

Whereas my hat…It’s made of soft white wool, with a ribbed pattern, and a big yarn pom-pom at the top.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Related Words

• cashmere
• fleece
• fur
• hair
• mohair
• tweed
• yarn