English vocabulary · C1
Hoary
/ˈhɔːri/ · adj.
Hoary describes something that has become gray or white because it is very old. It can also describe an idea that people have heard too many times.
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Example sentences
- The man had a hoary white beard.
- They repeated a hoary old joke.
Word origin and roots
from Old English
- hoar — gray (from Old English)
Synonyms and nuances
- AGED — showing the effects of age (Made Old By Time)
- ANCIENT — very old (From Long Ago)
- STALE — no longer fresh or interesting (Heard Too Often)
Related words
- hoarfrost — white frost on a cold surface
Lesson notes
Hoary describes something that has become gray or white because it is very old. It can also describe an idea that people have heard too many times.
Related: aged, ancient, stale. Use hoary for something gray with age or for an old idea that now feels tired.
The man had a hoary white beard. They repeated a hoary old joke.
From Old English. Hoar means gray. Hoary grew from hoar in English. Gray hair showed age, so the word also came to describe very old ideas.