wool

noun

ˈwu̇l 

often attributive

1

: the soft wavy or curly usually thick undercoat of various hairy mammals and especially the sheep made up of a matrix of keratin fibers and covered with minute scales

2

: a product of wool

especially : a woven fabric or garment of such fabric

3

a

: a dense felted pubescence especially on a plant : tomentum

b

: a filamentous mass

—usually used in combination compare mineral wool, steel wool

Synonyms of wool

• hair
• coat
• fleece
• fur

Examples of wool in a Sentence

She doesn't like wool because it can be itchy.

the wool from cashmere goats is considered by many to be the finest available

Recent Examples on the Web

The result is a fiber built for durability and flexibility, with performance on par with wool and more stretch than cotton. —Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 30 Apr. 2026

That tells you how many layers of wool. —Steve Metsch, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026

Police describe the man as a white or light-skinned Hispanic man wearing a maroon sweatshirt, a gray wool cap, gray sweatpants, and a black mask. —Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026

Explore 50-plus shops, like Kathe Wohlfahrt of America (for holiday decorations), All Things Sheared (for alpaca wool products), Candyland (for old-fashioned candies and the original Chicago Mix® popcorn), and Black Letter Books (for used, rare, or out-of-print books). —Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English wolle, from Old English wull; akin to Old High German wolla wool, Latin vellus fleece, lana wool

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing wool

• combing wool
• cotton wool
• cotton wool ball
• dyed-in-the-wool
• glass wool
• lamb's wool
• mineral wool
• pull the wool over one's eyes
• pull the wool over someone's eyes
• Shetland wool
• steel wool
• virgin wool
• wire wool
• wool fat
• wool grease

Rhymes for wool

• full
• pull
• brimful
• handful
• mouthful
• roomful
• spoonful

Kids Definition

wool

noun

ˈwu̇l 

1

: the soft wavy or curly usually thick undercoat of various mammals and especially the sheep

2

: a fabric or garment made of wool

3

: material that resembles a mass of wool

wooled

ˈwu̇ld

adjective