woolly
UK: ˈwʊli | US: ˈwʊli
adj. 1. made of or resembling wool; covered with wool or hair
adj. 2. vague, confused, or unclear in thought or expression
n. 3. (informal) a sheep or a garment made of wool
The word "woolly" originates from the Old English "wull," meaning the soft hair of sheep, combined with the suffix "-y," which forms adjectives denoting characteristics. Over time, "woolly" evolved to describe not only physical wool-like textures but also metaphorical fuzziness (e.g., vague ideas). The suffix "-y" is a productive morpheme in English, often added to nouns to create descriptive adjectives (e.g., "cloudy," "messy").
The lamb’s woolly coat kept it warm in winter.
His argument was too woolly to follow.
She wore a woolly hat to brave the snowstorm.
The old sweater felt scratchy despite its woolly appearance.
The professor’s woolly explanation left the students confused.