ashy

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈæʃi/ UK /ˈæʃi/ See IPA manual

Freq #51223

Meanings

1

adj
pale or gray like ash, especially because of illness, shock, or fear

Some color returned slowly to the patient's ashy cheeks.
2

adj
containing, covered with, or resembling ash

An ashy layer coated the stones beside the fire.
3

adj
having dry, pale-looking skin because dead surface cells are visible

The cold weather left the skin on his hands dry and ashy.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · pale or gray like ash,... ashen pallid gray

2 adj · containing, covered with,... ash-coveredcinereous

3 adj · having dry, pale-looking... dryflaky

Opposites

ruddy rosy

Word family

Derived forms ashilyashiness

Related forms ash pallor gray

Etymology

From Middle English asshy or asky, formed from ash + -y. The literal sense describes something made of or covered with ashes; the color comparison produced the senses "ash-gray" and "unnaturally pale," while the skin sense refers to a grayish appearance caused by dryness.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# ashy

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈæʃi/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈæʃi/
**Frequency rank:** 51223

## Meanings
1. pale or gray like ash, especially because of illness, shock, or fear
2. containing, covered with, or resembling ash
3. having dry, pale-looking skin because dead surface cells are visible

## Examples
- Some color returned slowly to the patient's ashy cheeks.
- An ashy layer coated the stones beside the fire.
- The cold weather left the skin on his hands dry and ashy.

## Synonyms
- ashen
- pallid
- gray
- cinereous

## Antonyms
- ruddy
- rosy

## Derived Forms
- ashily
- ashiness

## Related Forms
- ash
- pallor
- gray

## Etymology
From Middle English asshy or asky, formed from ash + -y. The literal sense describes something made of or covered with ashes; the color comparison produced the senses "ash-gray" and "unnaturally pale," while the skin sense refers to a grayish appearance caused by dryness.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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