fuzzy

English

Etymology

Uncertain. Apparently from fuzz +‎ -y, though some sources suggest that fuzz derives from fuzzy. Compare fozy, or Low German fussig (“loose; spongy”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈfʌzi/
Audio (US) (file)
Rhymes: -ʌzi

Adjective

fuzzy (comparative fuzzier, superlative fuzziest)

Covered with fuzz or a large number of tiny loose fibres like a carpet or many stuffed animals
Vague or imprecise.
Synonyms: ambiguous, equivocal; see also Thesaurus:vague

My recollection of that event is fuzzy.
Not clear; unfocused.
Synonyms: blurry, ill-defined; see also Thesaurus:indistinct

I finally threw out a large stack of fuzzy photos.
(computing theory) Employing or relating to fuzzy logic.

Derived terms

Translations

covered with fuzz or loose fibres

Bulgarian: мъхест (bg) (mǎhest), мъхнат (bg) (mǎhnat)
Catalan: arrissat (ca), borrós
Danish: dunet, håret
Finnish: nukkainen (fi)
German: fusselig, flauschig (de)
Greek: χνουδωτός (el) m (chnoudotós)
Hungarian: szőrmók (hu), bolyhos (hu)
Macedonian: вла́сест (vlásest)
Norwegian:
Bokmål: lodden, ullen (no)

Nynorsk: loden, ullen
Portuguese: felpudo (pt)
Russian: пуши́стый (ru) (pušístyj)

vague or imprecise

Bulgarian: неясен (bg) (nejasen)
Catalan: borrós
Danish: uklar, tåget, vag (da)
Finnish: epäselvä (fi), sekava (fi)
French: flou (fr), confus (fr)
German: vage (de), ungenau (de)
Greek: ασαφής (el) m (asafís), θαμπός (el) m (thampós), θολός (el) (tholós)
Hungarian: homályos (hu), pontatlan (hu), zavaros (hu)
Irish: neamhbheacht
Macedonian: ма́тен (máten), ма́глив (mágliv), не́јасен (néjasen)
Norwegian:
Bokmål: ullen (no), uklar (no)

Nynorsk: ullen, uklar, uklår
Polish: rozmyty m, nieścisły m
Portuguese: vago (pt), impreciso (pt)
Russian: нечёткий (ru) (nečótkij)
Spanish: impreciso (es)
Swedish: luddig (sv), dimmig (sv)
Yoruba: bọrọgidi

not clear; unfocused

Bulgarian: неясен (bg) (nejasen), размазан (bg) (razmazan)
Catalan: borrós
Danish: sløret, uklar, udvisket
Finnish: epäselvä (fi), samea (fi), sumea (fi)
French: flou (fr)
German: verschwommen (de), unscharf (de), diffus (de)
Greek: θαμπός (el) m (thampós), συγκεχυμένος (el) m (sygkechyménos), θολός (el) m (tholós)
Hungarian: elmosódott (hu), homályos (hu)
Macedonian: не́јасен (néjasen)
Maori: makaro, pōrehurehu, pūrehurehu
Norwegian:
Bokmål: uklar (no)

Nynorsk: uklar, uklår
Polish: rozmyty m
Portuguese: desfocado
Russian: нерезкий (ru) (nerezkij)
Swedish: suddig (sv), otydlig (sv)
Yoruba: bàìbàì

Noun

fuzzy (plural fuzzies)

(often in the plural) A very small piece of plush material.
You've got a fuzzy on your coat.
Something covered with fuzz or hair, as an animal or plush toy.
- 2000, Kim Schilling, Ferrets for Dummies, New York: Wiley, →ISBN, page 1:
  If you don't yet have a ferret, this book can help you decide whether a fuzzy is for you.
(slang) A person, especially a college student, interested in humanities or social sciences, as opposed to one interested in mathematics, science, or engineering.
- 2010, Donald Barr, Questioning the Premedical Paradigm […] , Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, →ISBN, page 2:
  A "fuzzy" on the other hand is a "people person," — someone who prefers studying the humanities or social sciences, someone who sees the world in broad contextual terms.
- 2017, Scott Hartley, The Fuzzy and the Techie […] ‎, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, →ISBN:
  If you majored in the humanities or social sciences, you were a fuzzy, and if you majored in engineering or computer science, you were a techie.
(slang, military) A soldier with the rank of private.
(slang) A police officer.

Derived terms

warm fuzzy

References

fuzzy, adj. Oxford English Dictionary, 1884–1928, and First Supplement, 1933.
fuzzy. Frederick C. Mish (Editor in Chief), Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th Edition. Merriam-Webster, 1994. →OCLC
Jonathon Green (2024) “fuzzy n.”, in Green’s Dictionary of Slang

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