noun
fuzz
fuhz
Fuzz (noun) means a soft mass of short, loose hairs or fibres. Example: “The peach was covered in a light fuzz.”
noun
1
A soft mass of short, loose hairs or fibres.
"The peach was covered in a light fuzz."
"He picked bits of fuzz off his sweater."
2
A distorted, buzzing sound, especially from an amplified guitar.
"The guitarist added heavy fuzz to the solo."
3
Informal: the police.
"Someone shouted that the fuzz was coming."
verb
1
To test software by feeding it large amounts of random or unexpected input to find bugs.
"The security team fuzzed the login form to look for crashes."
How to use fuzz
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA soft, fluffy layer of tiny fibres — or, in slang, the police; in tech, a way of stress-testing software with random input.
When to use it
"The fuzz" for police is dated, informal slang, mostly heard in older films and shows.
Common pairings
a bit of fuzz
fuzz pedal
fuzz testing
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Word forms
- Plural
- fuzzes
- Third person singular
- fuzzes
- Past tense
- fuzzed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The peach was covered in a light _____.
Etymology
Origin uncertain — possibly related to a Germanic word for something loose or spongy, or a back-formation from "fuzzy."
Related words
Rhymes for fuzz
See all rhymes for fuzz →Frequently asked questions
What does “fuzz” mean?
The word “fuzz” means a soft mass of short, loose hairs or fibres. In plain terms, a soft, fluffy layer of tiny fibres — or, in slang, the police; in tech, a way of stress-testing software with random input.
How do you pronounce “fuzz”?
“Fuzz” is pronounced fuhz (/fʌz/ in IPA).
How do you use “fuzz” in a sentence?
Here is “fuzz” used in a sentence: “The peach was covered in a light fuzz.”
What part of speech is “fuzz”?
Depending on how it is used, “fuzz” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “fuzz” come from?
The word “fuzz” comes from Germanic. Origin uncertain — possibly related to a Germanic word for something loose or spongy, or a back-formation from "fuzzy.".
How many meanings does “fuzz” have?
“Fuzz” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a soft mass of short, loose hairs or fibres.
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