What does hairiness mean?
Hairiness names the state or quality of being hairy, especially of a person's body, an animal's coat, or a surface covered with fine hairs. It is an abstract noun formed from hairy and the suffix -ness, and it can refer either to the simple presence of hair or, with words such as degree or density, to how much hair is present. In biological and medical description, it is usually neutral, although it often appears in discussions of excess body hair or traits used to identify species. Applied informally to people, however, it can sound clinical, awkward, or derogatory, implying an unattractive excess. The related adjective hairy is much more common in general use, while the more learned hirsute or hirsuteness is often preferred in formal or scientific contexts. Hairiness is therefore useful chiefly when a writer needs to turn a physical characteristic into a measurable quality, as in comparing the degree of hairiness among specimens.
nounThe state or quality of being hairy; the presence, amount, or density of hair on a body, animal, or surface.
- The quality or state of being hairy, especially the amount or density of hair on a body, animal, or surface.
"The museum guide notes the insect's hairiness as one of several features visible under magnification."
"The museum guide notes the insect's hairiness as one of several features visible under magnification."
"Her comments about the politician's hairiness were dismissed as needlessly personal."
The plural is grammatically possible but rarely used; most speakers prefer to rephrase the sentence.
"The survey compared hairinesses across several body regions."
Botanists can use a leaf's hairiness to distinguish species, and its microscopic hairs may form a defense against insects.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hairiness come from?
Hairiness was formed in English from hairy plus the abstract-noun suffix -ness. Hairy derives from hair, whose Old English form hæer was inherited from Germanic. The suffix -ness descends from Old English -nes and became a productive English suffix for forming abstract nouns denoting states, qualities, or conditions.
How hairiness is actually used
The word is more common in technical, biological, or descriptive writing than in everyday conversation. When applied to a person, it can sound clinical, awkward, or derogatory, particularly when it suggests an excessive amount of body hair.