woolly-headed

English

Alternative forms

• wooly-headed, wool-headed

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌwʊliˈhɛdɪd/, /ˈwʊliˌhɛdɪd/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌwʊliˈhɛdɪd/

Adjective

woolly-headed (comparative more woolly-headed, superlative most woolly-headed)

1. Synonym of nappy: having tightly curled and frizzy hair.
   • 1708 Feb 25, The British Apollo:

     The Blacks in Guinea are Woolly-headed.

2. (possibly offensive) Synonym of fuzzy-headed: characterized by vague or confused thinking, dull-witted.

Usage notes

As an insult, although present use is generally understood as an allusion to having a head full of wool, the original racist supposed connection between hair similar to wool and intelligence can make this and similar terms offensive.

Synonyms

• (vague or confused thinking): See Thesaurus:foolish & Thesaurus:stupid

Derived terms

• woolly-headedness

References

• “woolly-headed, adj.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, 2021.
• “woolly-headed”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.