Furry

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈfɜː.ɹi/

Definitions

1. Covered in a soft and often thick layer of hair or fur that provides warmth and a tactile comfort typically associated with certain animals
2. Exhibiting a plush texture due to a dense covering of hair or fur, frequently linked to feelings of coziness and cuteness
3. Characterized by a tactile softness resulting from a dense layer of hair or fur, commonly found in various animal species and evoking sensations of warmth and affection

Etymology: "Furry" is a plain formation: the adjective "fur" plus the suffix "-y", which turns a noun into an adjective meaning "having or characterised by" that noun. Here the "-y" comes from Old English "-iġ", an ending that appears in many everyday words such as "hairy" or "stony", so "furry" simply means "having fur." The noun it is built on has a longer journey. "Fur" arrived in English through Anglo-Norman "fuerre", a form descended from Frankish "fōdr", which was itself a borrowing from Proto-Germanic "fōdrą", meaning a sheath or lining. That sense of covering is the thread running through the word: the animal's pelt was originally thought of as a protective lining, and the earliest English uses of "fur" were in fact about lining garments with pelts, before the word settled on the hair itself.

Synonyms: hairy, fluffy, soft, pelted, tufted

Antonyms: bald, hairless, smooth