• IPA: /ˈwʊli/

woolly (comparative woollier, superlative woolliest)

1. Made of wool.

   Put on a woolly jumper and turn down the thermostat.

2. Having a thick, soft texture, as if made of wool.

   woolly hair

   There was nothing left in the fruit bowl but a brown banana and a couple of woolly pears.

3. (figuratively, of thinking, principles, etc.) Based on emotions rather than logic.

   That's the sort of woolly thinking that causes wars to start.

4. (figuratively) Unclear, fuzzy, hazy, cloudy.
5. (obsolete) Clothed in wool.

   • c. 1596–1598, William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene iii]:

     woolly breeders

• French: laineux
• German: wollen, Woll-
• Italian: lanoso
• Portuguese: lanoso
• Russian: шерстяно́й
• Spanish: lanoso

• German: wollartig, wollig, zottig, schwammig, lose

• German: blumig, wolkig, verklärt

• German: unscharf, verschwommen, schwammig, vage, unkonkret

woolly (plural woollies)

1. (informal) A sweater or similar garment made of wool.
2. (US, slang) A sheep not yet shorn.
3. A piece of woolwork.

woolly (plural woollies)

1. (Liverpool slang, pejorative) A woolly back; someone from the area around Liverpool, not from Liverpool itself.