Bristly
/ˈbrɪs.tli/noun
Covered with or resembling bristles; rough, stiff, or prickly.
Did you know?Its root is the same ancient Germanic source behind words for bristles and stiff hairs, showing how English often names texture with the language of sharp, bodily force.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bher-
“to cut, scrape, or make rough”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*brustilaz
“bristle, stiff hair”
Old English
English
byrstig
“bristly, rough, hairy”
Middle English
English
bristli
“covered with bristles; rough”
Modern English
English
bristly
“covered with or resembling bristles”