Pilose
/ˈpaɪ.loʊs/noun
Covered with soft, fine hair or down.
Did you know?The word traces back to Latin pilus, meaning “hair,” and its root is also behind English words tied to thread, fur, and dense covering—proof that language has been “growing” this idea for millennia.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peh₂i-
“to comb, pluck, or shear”
Latin
Latin
pilus
“a hair”
Late Latin
Latin
pilōsus
“hairy, covered with hair”
Middle English
English
pilous / pilose
“hairy; shaggy”
Modern English
English
pilose
“covered with soft hair or down”
Explore more surprising origins