Adjective
the hoar and crumbling stones of ruined temples Noun
the hoar-covered meadow gleamed in the early-morning sun
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
During cold weather the moisture precipitates out of the air onto every branch and willow bush, coating them in a layer of hoar frost.—Seth Adams, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 May 2023 Surface hoar is created when water vapor is deposited on the snow surface, like dew.—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2024 Surface hoar forms regularly in the Sierra, said Schwartz.—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2024 The hidden layer of fragile surface hoar, with facets playing a contributing role, is now the failure point for large and unpredictable slabs of snow.—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 18 Jan. 2024 There are many different kinds of frost: crystalline (hoar) frost, white frost, black frost, advection frost, and the frost that forms on glass windows, to name a few.—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 8 Dec. 2023
Noun
But sometimes the crystals grow particularly large, forming hoar frost.—Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2014 The hoar frost made the trees sparkle as though Earthquake Park were contained in a snow globe.—Alli Harvey, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Jan. 2022 Furthermore, the clear conditions preceding the storm could have led to the formation of a layer of light, feathery frost, known as surface hoar.—Douglas Preston, The New Yorker, 10 May 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hoar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English hor, from Old English hār; akin to Old High German hēr hoary
Noun
Middle English hor hoariness, from hor, adjective
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
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