woolly

English

Alternative forms

• wooly (chiefly used in the US, but less common than woolly even there)

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ʊli

Etymology 1

From wool +‎ -y.

Adjective

woolly (comparative woollier, superlative woolliest)

1. Made of wool.

   Put on a woolly jumper and turn down the thermostat.

2. Having a thick, soft texture, as if made of wool.

   woolly hair

3. (figuratively) Of thinking, principles, etc, based on emotion rather than logic.

   That's the sort of woolly thinking that causes wars to start.

Related terms

• woolly-minded (British) and (US), wooly-minded (US)
• woolly-headed, wooly-headed

Translations

made of wool

• Dutch: wollig (nl)
• French: laineux (fr)
• German: wollen (de)
• Greek: μάλλινος (el) (mállinos)
• Hungarian: gyapjú (hu)

• Polish: wełniany (pl) m
• Russian: шерстяной (ru) (šerstjanój)
• Turkish: yünlü (tr)
• Welsh: gwlanog (cy)

Noun

woolly (plural woollies)

1. (informal) A sweater or similar garment made of wool

Etymology 2

From woolyback.

Noun

woolly (plural woolies)

1. (Liverpudlian, pejorative) Someone not born in Liverpool (especially from the towns of Wigan, St Helen's, Widnes, Warrington and Runcorn).