hair ball

noun

Definition of hair ball

: a compact mass of hair formed in the stomach especially of a shedding animal (such as a cat) that cleanses its coat by licking

Recent Examples of hair ball from the Web

The personal histories of Khan’s characters are so enmeshed that tracing back their connections is like trying to untangle a hair ball.

— maureen corrigan, miamiherald, "A Muslim sleuth takes on the plight of refugees | Miami Herald," 22 Feb. 2018
That means no plucking hair balls out of the intake, and no worry of the vacuum malfunctioning mid-cycle.

— samantha gordon, USA TODAY, "This robot vacuum is great for pet owners—and it's under $150 with our exclusive code," 11 Oct. 2017
What drives the critics wild is her personal writing and its nonstop examination of self, one damn hair ball at a time.

— caitlin flanagan, The Atlantic, "Joyce Maynard Can’t Stop Writing About Herself," 11 Sep. 2017

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

First Known Use of hair ball

1712

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Medical Dictionary

hair ball

noun

medical Definition of hair ball

: a compact mass of hair formed in the stomach especially of a shedding animal (as a cat) that cleanses its coat by licking — called also trichobezoar