fur

verb
\ 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)

Definition of fur (Entry 3 of 3)

furlong

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Other Words from fur

Noun

furless \ ˈfər-​ləs How to pronounce furless (audio) \ adjective

Synonyms for fur

Synonyms: Noun

coat, fleece, hair, jacket, pelage, pile, wool

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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
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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

The ladies had their fur coats on and would (complain) about it. Ryan O'halloran, The Denver Post, "What was Pat Bowlen like on game-day? Friends and family share their memories," 3 Aug. 2019 Nordstrom at Home Faux Fur Throw Blanket A faux-fur throw is the perfect combination of style and luxury for living rooms everywhere. Courtney Campbell, USA TODAY, "The 10 best home deals you can get from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale," 24 July 2019 In the show, which will be unveiled in 30 installments, Manning visited Graceland to take in Elvis Presley's football fandom; tried to replicate the Immaculate Reception; and wore the fur coat Joe Namath was pictured in during the early 1970s. Scott Horner, Indianapolis Star, "Peyton Manning on running an NFL team: 'At some point, I may say I’m all in'," 17 July 2019 Bengals collar: Have your fur baby show their Who Dey pride with this simple Bengals collar. Noelle Zielinski, Cincinnati.com, "You're gonna love what you can find on Etsy when you search for 'Cincinnati'," 30 June 2019 There were bourgeois city dwellers and poor farmers, Communists and non-Communists, reactionaries, Old Bolsheviks, internationalist Comintern officials; fur coats, pianos, subways, airplanes; careerism, backbiting, and ambition. Aaron Lake Smith, Harper's magazine, "The Trials of Vasily Grossman," 24 June 2019 Engineering Compact SUVs can accommodate four — or even five — people in a pinch, but vehicles like the Evoque are best suited for one to two people and maybe a fur baby in the back. Houston Chronicle, "Range Rover Evoque gets added finesse, mild-hybrid versions," 14 June 2019 Dacha scores big with any dog parents who might be nervous about their fur-babies wandering off into the bustling neighborhood: The garden is completely enclosed. Washington Post, "D.C.'s best dog-friendly patios," 8 June 2019 The dog was thin and weak, dirty, had matted fur and was missing hair on more than half of its body. oregonlive.com, "Oregon Humane Society offering $500 reward for information on abandoned Pomeranian," 7 July 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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First Known Use of fur

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for fur

Verb

Middle English furren, from Anglo-French furrer to stuff, fill, line, from fuerre sheath, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German fuotar sheath; akin to Greek pōma lid, cover, Sanskrit pāti he protects

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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

fur