What does hispidity mean?
Hispidity is the state or quality of being hispid, meaning rough because of stiff hairs, bristles, or prickly projections. The term is especially common in botany and zoology, where precise descriptions of texture and covering matter: a leaf may be noted for its hispidity, and an animal's body for areas of dense bristles. Outside scientific writing, it is unusual, though it can describe any conspicuously hairy or rough surface. Hispidity is more specific than roughness because it points to a covering formed by fine, stiff projections rather than an uneven texture alone. The word is useful in detailed natural-language description, offering a formal alternative to phrases such as “covered with bristles” or “having a prickly surface.”
nounHispidity is the quality or state of being hispid: covered with stiff hairs, bristles, or a rough, prickly surface. It is used especially in botanical and zoological description.
- The quality of being covered with stiff hairs or bristles, or of having a rough, prickly surface.
"The leaves are distinguished by their rough surface and considerable hispidity."
"The botanist noted the dense hispidity of the plant's stems."
"Fine hairs give the insect's legs a slight hispidity that helps it cling to the surface."
The plural is rare because the word normally occurs as an uncountable noun.
"The specimens were distinguished by differences in their hispidity."
Hispidity gives a precise name to the wonderfully untidy world of bristles, prickles, and rough-haired leaves.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of hispidity
The word was formed in English from the adjective “hispid” and the suffix “-ity.” “Hispid” comes from Latin hispidus, meaning rough, bristly, or hairy, and belongs to the same Latin-derived vocabulary as “hispidity.”
Related word forms
How hispidity is actually used
This is a rare, formal, and chiefly scientific term. It normally describes a surface, organism, or body part covered with stiff hairs or bristles.