husky

1 of 5

adjective (1)

hus·​ky ˈhə-skē 

huskier; huskiest

: hoarse with or as if with emotion

huskily

ˈhə-skə-lē 

adverb

huskiness

ˈhə-skē-nəs 

noun

husky

2 of 5

noun (1)

hus·​ky ˈhə-skē 

plural huskies

1

: siberian husky

2

: a heavy-coated working dog of the New World arctic region

husky

3 of 5

adjective (2)

hus·​ky ˈhə-skē 

huskier; huskiest

1

: burly, robust

2

: large

husky

4 of 5

noun (2)

hus·​ky ˈhə-skē 

plural huskies

: one that is husky

husky

5 of 5

adjective (3)

ˈhə-skē 

huskier; huskiest

: resembling, containing, or full of husks

Synonyms

Adjective (1)

• coarse
• croaking
• croaky
• grating
• gravel
• gravelly
• gruff
• hoarse
• rasping
• raspy
• rusty
• scratchy
• throaty

Adjective (2)

• beefy
• brawny
• burly
• hefty
• hulking
• mesomorphic

Examples of husky in a Sentence

Adjective (1)

a voice that was husky from an afternoon of cheering on the team

Adjective (2)

a husky weight lifter

the neighbors bought a fairly husky lawn mower for their small yard

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Fred Clemens, the lodge owner, told us that a few big bass had been caught in Grassy Bay, also some husky channel cats running to 12 pounds. —Don Shiner, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2025

In a viral TikTok video, a Siberian husky puppy is filmed meeting a kitten for the very first time in his life, and his heartening reaction to the feline has quickly turned him into a social-media sensation. —Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025

Noun

Guided by patient teachers and a yard full of heroic Alaskan huskies, the teens discover their own potential and develop deep relationships with the land, animals and humans around them. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2025

Cangelosi, who regularly rescues dogs on the verge of being destroyed, said the 14-week-old puppies are a mix of Labrador, border collie and husky. —Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

probably from husk huskiness, from obsolete husk to have a dry cough

Noun (1)

shortening of Huskemaw, Uskemaw Eskimo, from Cree aškime·w; akin to Montagnais (Algonquian language of eastern Canada) aiachkime8 Micmac, Eskimo — more at eskimo

Adjective (2)

probably from husk entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

circa 1722, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

1852, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective (2)

1869, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1864, in the meaning defined above

Adjective (3)

1552, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing husky

• Siberian husky

Rhymes for husky

• dusky
• muskie
• musky

Kids Definition

husky

1 of 3 adjective

hus·​ky

ˈhəs-kē

huskier; huskiest

: hoarse sense 2

huskily

ˈhəs-kə-lē

adverb

huskiness

-kē-nəs

noun

husky

2 of 3 noun

hus·​ky

plural huskies

1

: a heavy-coated working dog especially of the New World arctic region

2

: siberian husky

husky

3 of 3 adjective

hus·​ky

huskier; huskiest

: burly, robust

Etymology

Adjective

probably derived from an obsolete sense of husk, meaning "to have a dry cough"

Noun

probably an altered form of Huskemaw, Uskemaw "Eskimo," from Cree aškime·w (same meaning)

Adjective

probably from husk "a hard outer covering"