fur

\ ˈfər

How to pronounce fur (audio)

\

furred; furring

Definition of fur

(Entry 1 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to cover, line, trim, or clothe with fur

2 : to coat or clog as if with fur

3 : to apply furring to

intransitive verb

: to become coated or clogged as if with fur

fur

noun, often attributive

Definition of fur (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : a piece of the dressed pelt of an animal used to make, trim, or line wearing apparel

2 : an article of clothing made of or with fur

3 : the hairy coat of a mammal especially when fine, soft, and thick also : such a coat with the skin

4 : a coating resembling fur: such as

a : a coat of epithelial debris on the tongue

b : the thick pile of a fabric (such as chenille)

fur

Definition of fur (Entry 3 of 3)

furlong

Other Words from fur Synonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about fur

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Did You Know?

When the word fur first came into English, it was a verb that meant “to line a person’s garment with the soft hair of an animal.” The noun developed from the verb. First, the noun referred to the animal hair that was used for lining and trimming a garment. Then it came to refer to the hairy coat on the animal itself. The verb, not much used anymore, was taken from the early French verb furrer, meaning “to stuff, fill, line.” It was formed from an earlier French word meaning “a sheath.” Thus our word fur for the hairy coat that covers or encases an animal traces back to a word for a sheath that encases a knife or sword.

Examples of fur in a Sentence

Noun The cat has black-and-white fur. The rabbit's fur is soft. Her gloves are lined with fur. He made his fortune trading furs in the 17th century. Her new fur is a full-length mink coat. a teddy bear with soft fur

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb That was my America right there: pastel greenish-brown of grass furring the rolling hills. — Colin Barrett, Harper's magazine, "“Just Keep Going North”," 5 July 2019 Even a few hours in a fruit bowl on a summer afternoon is enough to fur them with mold, after which emergency measures may or may not help. 3. — New York Times, "The Best Fruits of Summer, Ranked," 22 May 2018 One vendor sold from racks of authentic furs while another offered a fur tissue box covers and fur hot water bottles. — Beth Spotswood, San Francisco Chronicle, "Edgewood Auxiliary puts on a high-end fundraiser for Bay Area kids," 1 May 2018 His usual hot-spot area is fully furred and not itchy. — Wes Siler, Outside Online, "So You Want to Get Your Dog on a Raw-Foot Diet," 24 Apr. 2018 But full lips and furred brows aside, her influence on fashion is debatable. — Ruth La Ferla, New York Times, "Nothing Comes Between Brooke Shields and Her New Line for QVC," 14 Mar. 2018 And now with fellow early adopters like Naomi Campbell joining in, Rihanna has helped to create a more general desire for footwear that is fringed, furred, and feathered. — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, "Rihanna Loves Her Yeti Boots—And You Can Too," 26 Oct. 2017 There’s pathos in Newt’s mission to save these furred and feathered beings, an honorable calling that serves as a bewitched if overly tidy and cute vision of our own better natures. — Manohla Dargis, New York Times, "Eddie Redmayne’s Guide to ‘Fantastic Beasts’ SEPT. 12, 2016," 17 Nov. 2016 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Hodgens shows me a more high-tech device called a Felixer grooming trap, designed to identify a feral cat passing in front of it and shoot a blob of toxic paste onto the animal’s fur. — National Geographic, "60 hours on burning Kangaroo Island," 17 Jan. 2020 The scavenging species feeds mostly on carrion, and undigested fur and bones are commonly found at the base of communications towers within which vultures roost. — Justin Rohrlich, Quartz, "Feces from a giant kettle of vultures is disrupting CBP communications on the US-Mexico border," 10 Jan. 2020 The dogs sniff for koala fur or the marsupial’s feces to locate them. — Caitlin Yilek, Washington Examiner, "Dogs help save koalas in Australian wildfires," 10 Jan. 2020 Eliminate dust on drapes, cobwebs in corners, and pet fur from your couch with a special attachment no robot vac has yet to surpass. — Popular Science, "Five cordless vacuums that help keep your home spotless," 9 Jan. 2020 Mercedes says they are supposed to mimic an animal extending its hair or fur. — Sebastian Blanco, Car and Driver, "Mercedes-Benz Vision AVTR Concept Inspired by 2009 Film Avatar, Scales and All," 7 Jan. 2020 The blubber layer is approximately an inch thick and gets covered by dense fur. — Daisy Hernandez, Popular Mechanics, "Sea Lions Steal Small Vessel, Don't Care at All," 3 Jan. 2020 Burberry, Gucci, and Versace are among high-end houses opting for faux fur. — Fortune, "Why Your Next Dress Could Be Made of Horseradish," 30 Dec. 2019 This poignant report prompts the queen to visit at last, surveying the wreckage in an oversize fur hat and prim coat. — Rachel Syme, The New Republic, "The Dramatic Detachment of The Crown," 12 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fur.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Fur.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/furless. Accessed 28 January 2020.

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More Definitions for fur

fur

noun

English Language Learners Definition of fur

: the hairy coat of an animal especially when it is soft and thick

: the fur of an animal used for clothing

: a piece of clothing (such as a coat) made with fur

See the full definition for fur in the English Language Learners Dictionary

fur

\ ˈfər

\

Kids Definition of fur

1 : the hairy coat of a mammal especially when fine, soft, and thick

2 : a piece of the pelt of an animal

3 : an article of clothing made with fur

fur

noun, often attributive

\ ˈfər

\

Medical Definition of fur

1 : the hairy coat of a mammal especially when fine, soft, and thick

2 : a coat of epithelial debris on the tongue

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