The Merriam-Webster Word of the Day is hoary. Read on for what it means, how it’s used, and more.

What It Means

Hoary means “so old or so familiar as to be dull” or “gray or white with or as if with age.”

// The movie’s plot was a hoary tale of revenge.

// The hoary marmot is a large burrowing rodent with gray fur.

HOARY in Context

“A brief hike … reveals long expanses of light gray sand, pounded by waves, backed by lofty coconut palms, hoary mangroves and wild forests….” — Jeff McMahon, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2022

Did You Know?

Hoary is an Old English word that comes from hoar, which shares its meanings. Both words refer to anything that is old or that has the whitened look of age.