wispy
UK: ˈwɪspi | US: ˈwɪspi
adj. thin, light, and delicate in appearance
adj. lacking clarity or substance; vague
wispy = wisp<small bundle or streak> + y<adjective suffix>
- wisp: From Middle English wisp, meaning a small bundle of straw or thread, or a fleeting streak (e.g., smoke). Likely of Scandinavian origin, related to Old Norse visk ("wisp, bundle").
- -y: A common English suffix forming adjectives, indicating "characterized by" or "resembling."
Etymology Origin:
The word wispy evolved from wisp, which originally referred to a small, fragile bundle (like straw or hair). Over time, wisp metaphorically extended to describe anything thin or fleeting (e.g., a wisp of smoke). Adding the suffix -y transformed it into an adjective, emphasizing qualities of lightness, delicacy, or insubstantiality—whether literal (e.g., wispy clouds) or figurative (e.g., wispy ideas).
Her wispy hair floated in the breeze like strands of silk.
The artist painted wispy strokes to create a dreamy effect.
Morning fog clung to the hills in wispy tendrils.
His argument was too wispy to convince the skeptical audience.
A wispy scarf trailed behind her as she walked.