Hoary
ˈhôrē
ADJECTIVE
Grayish white.
(Of a person) Having gray or white hair; aged.
(Attributive) Used in names of animals and plants covered with whi
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Hoary
ˈhôrē
ADJECTIVE
Grayish white.
(Of a person) Having gray or white hair; aged.
(Attributive) Used in names of animals and plants covered with whitish fur or short hairs, e.g., hoary bat, hoary cress.
Old and trite.
EXAMPLE SENTENCES
“The hoary stories I heard as a kid have been passed down for generations in my family.”
“The teacher’s hoary appearance belied his youthful energy.”
“I got great pictures of a hoary marmot on my hike last weekend.”
WORD ORIGIN
Germanic, 16th century
WHY THIS WORD?
“Hoary” has several usages with slight variations on a theme: describing something old, white, or gray. Most of its meanings relate to age and color (for example, a hoary white beard), or at least something outdated, but it’s also used as an attributive word for several animal species. The hoary bat, for instance, gets its name from whitish-gray fur markings across its body, which give it the appearance of an old and wizened creature.
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