hairiness
|hair-i-ness|
🇺🇸
/ˈhɛrɪnəs/
🇬🇧
/ˈheərɪnəs/
(hairy)
covered with hair; difficult
Etymology
'hairiness' originates from English, formed from the adjective 'hairy' plus the noun-forming suffix '-ness'; 'hairy' comes from 'hair' meaning 'filament growing from skin,' and '-y' meaning 'characterized by.'
'Hairiness' developed in Modern English from 'hairy' + '-ness.' The root 'hair' traces back to Old English 'hær' (hair), cognate with Dutch 'haar' and German 'Haar,' and then the suffix '-y' formed the adjective, to which '-ness' added the abstract noun sense.
Initially, it meant 'the state of being hairy.' Over time, a figurative sense developed to mean 'difficulty, risk, or daunting complexity,' while the literal sense remained primary.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or quality of being covered with hair; the condition of being hairy
The hairiness of the dog made grooming a challenge.
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Noun 2
figuratively, the quality of being difficult, risky, or daunting
Investors underestimated the hairiness of the merger.
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Noun 3
in botany, the presence and density of hairs (trichomes) on plant surfaces
Leaf hairiness helps reduce water loss in arid climates.
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Last updated: 2025/08/11 19:38