What does hairy mean?
Hairy most commonly means covered or overgrown with hair, as in a hairy chest, a hairy animal, or a forest with hairy vegetation. It can also function informally to describe something difficult, complicated, or daunting, especially a situation or problem that seems difficult to control. This figurative use gives the word a slightly playful but also cautionary tone, suggesting that the matter may involve complications, uncertainty, or risk. Hairy is flexible in register: its literal meaning is ordinary and unremarkable, while the figurative meaning is common in conversation and informal writing but less likely in highly formal contexts. The word is especially useful because one adjective can move naturally from a physical description to a broader description of an challenging experience, making it effective in both descriptive and figurative language.
adjectiveCovered or overgrown with hair. Informally, difficult, complicated, or daunting to deal with.
- Covered or overgrown with hair.
- Informally, difficult, complicated, or daunting to deal with.
"The negotiations turned into a hairy business when both sides refused to compromise."
"He was uncomfortable in the hairy heat of the forest."
"Repairing the roof was a hairy job, but we managed to finish it in a weekend."
A hairy problem is not usually covered in hair: in informal English, the word has become a memorable shorthand for something complicated and difficult to manage.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of hairy
The English adjective developed from the Middle English forms heri and hery, which continued Old English hǣrig, meaning "covered with hair." The underlying element is the Old English word hær, "hair," cognate with forms in other Germanic languages, including German Haar and Dutch haar. Modern hairiness and related forms reflect the same native Germanic root, with the suffix-like ending -y contributing the familiar adjective form.
Related word forms
How hairy is actually used
The literal sense is neutral and can describe people, animals, plants, or objects. The figurative sense is informal and is especially common in expressions such as "a hairy situation" and "a hairy problem"; it may suggest that something is complicated, risky, or hard to control.
Easily confused with hairy
Hairy means covered with hair or informally difficult to handle, whereas harry means to persistently annoy or torment.