hair

noun

often attributive
1
a
: a slender threadlike outgrowth of the epidermis of an animal
especially : one of the usually pigmented filaments that form the characteristic coat of a mammal
b
: the hairy covering of an animal or a body part
especially : the coating of hairs on a human head
2
3
a
: a minute distance or amount
won by a hair
b
: a precise degree
aligned to a hair
4
obsolete : nature, character
5
: a filamentous structure that resembles hair
leaf hair
hairless adjective
hairlessness noun
hairlike adjective

Illustration of hair

Illustration of hair
  • 1 shaft
  • 2 sebaceous gland
  • 3 epidermis
  • 4 dermis
  • 5 hair follicle
  • 6 bulb
  • 7 papilla
Phrases
in one's hair
: persistently and annoyingly in one's presence
can't work with you in my hair all day
out of one's hair
: out of one's way : not in one's hair
keep the children out of his hair for a while

Examples of hair in a Sentence

He plucked a hair from his arm. There are dog hairs all over my coat. The hair on her arms is blond. He has a lot of hair on his chest. He got his hair cut last week. He has a thick head of hair. a balding man who is losing his hair He won the race by a hair. He was a hair off on the count.
Recent Examples on the Web This Root Touch-Up Kit camouflages up to one inch of gray hairs in about an hour. Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 Previously unseen artwork of Swift running her hands through her hair was also included in the image. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 On their head, another ream of tartan was twisted with black tulle that, from a distance, resembled a flowing mass of dark knotted hair. Leah Dolan, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 Jason’s chest hair and a little bit of belly hair, just FYI, were made of chocolate curls. Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2024 Her hair has been bronde, strawberry blonde, rich brunette, honey blonde, and most recently, she's worn her hair long and dark with blunt bangs. Marci Robin, Allure, 4 Mar. 2024 Few things scream Miami quite like renting a boat (captain included) and cruising around the city, wind in your hair, sea salt on your skin. Jessica Poitevien, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2024 According to the Mayo Clinic, the heart pumps 50 percent more blood to nourish the baby, while the American Academy of Dermatology notes that hair loss is prevalent in new moms. Audrey Noble, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2024 Even a longtime fan in hospice care in Saginaw, about 100 miles north of Detroit, now has blue hair. USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hair.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English hǣr; akin to Old High German hār hair

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of hair was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near hair

Cite this Entry

“Hair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hair. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hair

noun
ˈha(ə)r How to pronounce hair (audio)
ˈhe(ə)r
1
a
: a slender threadlike growth from the skin of an animal
especially : one that usually contains coloring and forms part of the characteristic coat of a mammal
b
: a covering or growth of hairs of an animal or a body part
2
: a tiny distance or amount
won by a hair
3
: a threadlike structure that resembles hair
leaf hairs
haired
ˈha(ə)rd
ˈhe(ə)rd
adjective
hairless
ˈha(ə)r-ləs
ˈhe(ə)r-
adjective
hairlike adjective

Medical Definition

often attributive
1
: a slender threadlike outgrowth of the epidermis of an animal
especially : one of the usually pigmented filaments that form the characteristic coat of a mammal
2
: the hairy covering of an animal or a body part
especially : the coating of hairs on a human head
hairlike adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on hair

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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