DictionaryAI

hair

SayHAIR/hɛ(ə)ɹ//hɛə/

Pluralhairs (some meanings)

8 meanings of hair

Practice

  1. 1
    noununcountable
    The thin threads that grow on your head and body, or one of these threads.

    Like a soft blanket of tiny threads that grows on your body.

    She brushed her hair before going to school.

    There was dog hair all over my black pants.

    UsageSay my hair is long (not incorrect: my hair are).

  2. 2
    tiny marginnouncountable
    A very small amount or distance.

    Like the tiny gap between two things that almost touch.

    The car missed the wall by a hair.

    She won the race by a hair.

    UsageSay you won or missed by a hair.

    Similarwhisker, fraction, inch

    Note
  3. 3
    on plantsnouncountable
    A very thin thread that grows on a plant or insect, or sticks out from something.

    Like the tiny fuzz growing on a leaf or stem.

    The leaf was covered with soft hairs.

    Each hair on the stem helps protect the plant.

    Similarbristle, filament

    Note

Practice

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Origin

It comes from Old English hǣr, meaning "hair," which goes back to older Germanic and perhaps to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to scrape" or "comb."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts