Make Your Point: HISPID

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pronounce HISPID:

HISS pid

Hear it.

connect this word to others:

The word hispid is delightfully precise.

But it's also rare. When you need a common synonym, you might pick spiky, hairy, prickly, or br___ly.

Can you recall that last one? It means "covered in short, stiff spikes or fibers."

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

"Hispid" comes from a Latin word, hispidus, meaning "rough, shaggy, hairy, bristly, or prickly."

In English, we use "hispid" as a very formal, scientific-sounding synonym of "shaggy" or "bristly." In other words, if you describe an animal, a leaf, or anything else as hispid, you mean it has lots of rough or sharp hairs.

For example, here's a hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus).

(Source)

We can also use "hispid" figuratively. Hispid things or people seem rough, ugly, or off-putting in how they act or talk, as if they're covered in rough or sharp hairs.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Adjective: "a hispid stem;" "Her manner grew increasingly hispid."

Other forms:

Hispidly, hispidity.

If something is just a little hispid, you can call it "hispidulous" or "hispidulate." But those are both extremely rare, extremely scholarly-sounding words.

how to use it:

Pick the rare, weird, scientific-sounding "hispid" when you want an odd and emphatic synonym for "spiky," "prickly," "thorny," "nettlesome," "bad-tempered," or "gruff."

You might talk literally about hispid leaves, stems, or flowers.

Or talk figuratively about hispid people, personalities, manners, attitudes, or moods.

examples:

"The purple Nemophila is most abundant in the south, growing everywhere in early springtime upon hillsides partially shaded. Its long, coarse, hispid stems run riot over small undershrubs."
— Mary Elizabeth Parsons, The Wild Flowers of California, 1897

"Stevens became increasingly responsive to others. The young, hispid misanthrope transformed himself into a patient, sympathetic helpmeet."
— Joan Richardson, Wallace Stevens: The Later Years, 1923-1955, 1986

has this page helped you understand "hispid"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "hispid" without saying "fuzzy" or "hairy."

try it out:

Fill in the blanks: "(In some story or show), (some character) seems hispid at first, (doing something rude or surly)."

Example: "In The Secret Garden, Ben Weatherstaff seems hispid at first, telling Mary right to her face that she's ugly."

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for March: it's the Inkhorn Stinkhorn!

It’s inspired by the Twofer Goofer, created by Collin Waldoch, in which you're given a circumlocutory clue, like "An eater with an excessive appetite for clothes fasteners," and you provide a rhyming answer, in this case "button glutton." You're then treated to an AI-generated rendering of the goofy concept you just named. In general in the Twofer Goofer, the words are straightforward and the AI art is lovely.

But here in the Inkhorn Stinkhorn, the words are pedantic and the AI art is atrocious. Enjoy!

Try this one today: Name a two-word rhyming phrase that means "a millionaire's vessel beset by a raging fire, a rapidly approaching wall of rocks, and a sea monster."

Clue #1: To reveal the first letter of each word, highlight the following text… f____ y____

Clue #2: To reveal one of the words, highlight the following text… f____ yacht

For the answer, scroll all the way down!

review this word:

1. One opposite of HISPID is

A. BALD.
B. BRIGHT.
C. QUIET.

2. _____ have hispid, _____ leaves.

A. Ferns .. fluffy
B. Junipers .. needle-like
C. Water lilies .. vividly colored

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
  36 ways to study words.
  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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