downy

IPA/ˈdaʊni/
KK[dˈaʊni]IPA/ˈdaʊni/

downy — adjective

  • downypositive
  • downiercomparative
  • downiestsuperlative

1. having a layer of short, extremely light, soft feathers called down, or made fro

1.形容詞B2
釋義

having a layer of short, extremely light, soft feathers called down, or made from or filled with these feathers — for example, a baby bird still covered in down, a jacket filled with goose down, or a pillow packed with duck down.

例句

The downy ducklings followed their mother across the pond.

Aoi wrapped her baby in a downy blanket made from goose feathers.

used for bedding items filled with down

同義詞
  • fluffy

    more general than downy — describes anything light and airy (fur, cotton, cake), not specifically feathers

  • feathery

    suggests the shape or layered appearance of feathers, not necessarily their softness

  • soft

    the most general word; downy is a more specific type of softness that comes from down feathers

反義詞
  • rough

    downy surfaces are smooth and soft; rough is the opposite texture

  • coarse

    downy is fine and delicate; coarse is thick and harsh to the touch

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 2 (COVERED WITH SOFT HAIR): sense 1 refers specifically to down — the short, fluffy underfeathers of birds — or objects made from or filled with these feathers. If the surface is covered with fine hair rather than feathers, use sense 2.

常見錯誤

❌The downy towel felt good on my skin.
✅The soft towel felt good on my skin.
💡downy is not a general synonym for 'soft'; it refers specifically to down feathers or a feather-like texture.

2. having a surface of extremely thin, soft hair or light fuzz — typically describi

2.形容詞B2
釋義

having a surface of extremely thin, soft hair or light fuzz — typically describing parts of plants, fruits, or young animals before their adult coat has grown in.

例句

The baby's downy hair felt like silk against Imani's fingers.

used for a baby's fine hair

Xiu gently touched the downy leaves of the lamb's ear plant in the garden.

botanical use: downy leaves / downy stem

同義詞
  • fuzzy

    describes short, frizzy, or irregular hairs; downy is softer and finer

  • velvety

    suggests a rich, smooth softness like velvet; downy is lighter and less dense

  • hairy

    more general and often suggests longer, more noticeable hairs; downy is specifically short and fine

反義詞
  • smooth

    downy surfaces have fine hairs; smooth surfaces have no texture

  • bald

    downy means covered with fine hair; bald means without hair

用法筆記

Subject is typically a part of a plant, fruit, or young animal's body, describing a very fine, soft covering. Not used for thick or coarse hair. The sense differs from sense 1 in that the covering is made of fine hairs or fuzz, not the specific type of feather called down.

常見錯誤

❌My cat's fur feels downy.
✅My cat's fur feels soft and silky.
💡downy describes very fine, short hairs or fuzz, not the thick fur of a cat or dog.