hoary

UK: /ˈhɔːrɪ/ US: /ˈhɔri/ ,(hôr′ē, hōr′ē)

Inflections of 'hoary' (adj):

hoarier

adj comparative

hoariest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

hoar•y /ˈhɔri/   adj., -i•er, -i•est. 

1. gray or white with age:
   hoary hair.
2. ancient.
3. stale because of being familiar:
   a hoary joke.

hoar•i•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

hoar•y  (hôr′ē, hōr′ē), adj., hoar•i•er, hoar•i•est. 

1. gray or white with age:
   an old dog with a hoary muzzle.
2. ancient or venerable:
   hoary myths.
3. tedious from familiarity;
   stale:
   Please don't tell that hoary joke at dinner again tonight.

• hoar + -y¹ 1520–30

hoar′i•ly, adv. 
hoar′i•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. grizzled, grizzly; hoar.
• 2. old, dated, aged; venerated, revered.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

hoary / ˈhɔːrɪ/ adjective (hoarier, hoariest)

1. having grey or white hair
2. white or whitish-grey in colour
3. ancient or venerable

ˈhoariness noun