cottony

adjective

cot·​tony ˈkät-nē How to pronounce cottony (audio)
ˈkä-tᵊn-ē
Synonyms of cottonynext
: resembling cotton in appearance or character: such as
a
: covered with hairs or pubescence
b
: soft

Synonyms

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Examples of cottony in a Sentence

The toys are stuffed with a cottony material. The flowers are small and cottony.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An egg mass of the citrus mealybug looks like a small, white, cottony mass on the underside of a leaf. — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Aug. 2024 There, the thickly forested ranges perched on a shelf of cottony clouds, offering a view of the mountaintop complex modeled after 16th century Vietnamese pagodas, including a 10-story belfry, a network of stone staircases and a giant seated Buddha. — Patrick Scott, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cottony was in 1578

Phrases Containing cottony

Rhymes for cottony

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Browse Nearby Words

cotton worm
cottony
cottony-cushion scale
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Cite this Entry

“Cottony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cottony. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

cottony

adjective
cot·​tony ˈkät-nē How to pronounce cottony (audio)
-ᵊn-ē
1
: covered with soft hairs : downy
2
: soft entry 1 sense 1d
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