Flossy

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Marked by a gently soft and airy quality that suggests comfort
2. Exhibiting a flashy and extravagant style that attracts attention ; possessing a smooth and delicate feel similar to fine silk
3. Characterized by an unusually ornate or flamboyant appearance ; having a tender, smooth surface that suggests softness

Etymology: Floss, the silk fibre that gives the adjective its root, reaches English from a long chain of Germanic ancestors, but the adjective itself is a plain product of English word-building: "floss" with the suffix "-y" added. The suffix comes down through Old English "-iġ" (a little-changed ancestor of the modern ending) and was already a productive way to turn nouns into adjectives meaning "full of" or "having the qualities of" the noun. So "flossy" means something like "having the qualities of floss," which explains both senses: a fine, soft, silky surface, and, by extension, the showy, frilly look of something dressed up in fancy trimmings.

Synonyms: fluffy, downy

Antonyms: bald, bare