✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

hispid

adjective

his·​pid ˈhi-spəd How to pronounce hispid (audio)
: rough or covered with bristles, stiff hairs, or minute spines
hispid leaves

Word History

Etymology

Latin hispidus; akin to Latin horrēre

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hispid was in 1646

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hispid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hispid. Accessed 7 Dec. 2025.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!