What does wispy mean?
Wispy is an adjective describing something that is thin, fine, light, or delicate enough to resemble a wisp, a small drifting tuft of hair, smoke, or mist. The word is especially evocative when applied to strands, clouds, steam, or faint movements, because it suggests both smallness and the ease with which such things disperse. It can also convey delicacy or an insubstantial, almost intangible quality, as in a wispy smile or memory. “Wispy” is more literary and suggestive than a plain term like “thin,” yet it remains readily understood in British and American English. The word is especially useful in description and creative writing, where it captures texture as well as visual impression. It should not be confused with “wiry,” which describes something thin but tough or energetic. A wispy description instead emphasizes delicacy, lightness, and the possibility of being carried away.
adjectiveThin, fine, and light, resembling a wisp of hair, smoke, or mist. It can also describe something delicate, faint, or insubstantial.
- Thin, fine, and light in appearance, like a wisp.
- Delicate, faint, or insubstantial in quality or effect.
"A wisp of smoke curled from the candle and disappeared into the still air."
"A breeze lifted her wispy hair and carried it across her face."
"The distant melody was wispy and indistinct, as though heard through mist."
Wispy preserves an Old English word in plain sight: wisp once referred to a tuft or bundle, so wispy means “like a wisp.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does wispy come from?
The English adjective was formed in the early nineteenth century by adding the suffix -y to wisp. Wisp derives from Old English hwisp, meaning a tuft or bundle, especially of straw or grass. Wisp is related to whisk, both words having been compared with a tuft or brush.
Related word forms
How wispy is actually used
A descriptive and sometimes poetic term, especially associated with hair, mist, smoke, clouds, and delicate movement. It can convey an impression of evanescence or fragility as well as physical lightness.
Easily confused with wispy
Wispy emphasizes lightness, delicacy, or an insubstantial quality, whereas wiry describes something thin but tough, energetic, or resilient.