Hirsute / adjective / hir·sute

The word hirsute is used as a humorous adjective to describe having lots of hair. Other words for hirsute include shaggy, wooly, fuzzy, and hairy. English speakers use this term as a fun-loving description with no ill intent applied.

In a Sentence

I must admit that I was a bit intimidated by the hirsute man standing in front of me because he was so large and looked like he could handle anything!

Even though the weather is cold, I can't help but get excited every time I see someone with hirsute legs walking down the street.

I was really excited to go out with my friends tonight, but I'm starting to become a bit self-conscious about my hirsuteness, and I wonder if anyone else will notice.

Etymology

The word "hirsute" has Latin origins. Hirsute has nearly the same spelling and exactly the same meaning as its Latin parent, hirsutus. It was first used in English in the 1600s to describe people with excessive hair growth, especially in a biological way. Over the centuries, it has evolved to describe people, things, or animals that are very hairy but it is usually said to poke fun in a good-natured way.

Synonym

Hairy, Shaggy

Antonym

Bald, Bare