Basic+ Word of the Day: fur

fur (noun, adjective)

Fur is the soft, thick, hairy coat of a mammal.

• The polar bear's fur glistened in the sunlight.
• The cat licked the kitten's fur.

Fur is also a coat made of fur.

• In the 1920s it was fashionable to wear a fur coat.

Common uses

Fur coats were popular until the 1990s when some animal rights activists protested by splashing red paint on people’s coats as they walked down the street. Some countries like UK and Austria have prohibited fur farming. Today it is much more common to see fake fur coats.

Related words

furry: made of or covered with fur. Example: “Furry animals are warm in the winter.”

Don't confuse it with

fury: violent rage. Example: “Their enemy’s fury frightened the soldiers.”

In pop culture

Watch the furry characters of Sesame Street sing “The Fur Song.” As an extra bonus, they perform a tap dance!

There are other meanings of fur.