hairy

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   hazardous and frightening

   hairy moments in the mountains

2. 2
   adj

   having or covered with hair

   Jacob was a hairy man

3. 3
   adj

   Having a lot of body hair.

   a hairy man

4. 4
   adj

   Having a lot of fur.

   Near-synonyms: long-haired, furry

5. 5
   adj

   Having hair growing from it.

   hairy chest;   hairy back

6. 6
   adj

   Long-haired.

   yelling about dirty, hairy hippies

7. 7
   adj

   Seeming as if hair-covered or as if consisting of hair.

   Near-synonym: hairlike

8. 8
   adj

   Difficult, complex, intricate, or intimidating.

   It’s a hairy problem, and will probably take several weeks to sort out.

Etymology

From Middle English hery, heeri, hary, equivalent to hair + -y. Compare Saterland Frisian hierich (“hairy”), West Frisian hierrich (“hairy”), Dutch harig (“hairy”), German Low German harig (“hairy”), German haarig (“hairy”), Swedish hårig (“hairy”), Icelandic hárugur (“hairy”). Compare also Old English hǣriht (“hairy”) and ġehǣre (“hairy”). The sense "terrifying, scary" possibly results from a blend of hair-raising and scary.