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Glite Dictionary
cottony

cottony

2 2.7
Soft and fluffy like cotton
  • adjective
  • /ˈkɑːtəni/
translation icon : algodonoso
  • It's only a mile, she keeps telling herself as she strikes out through the now unfamiliar cottony landscape.
  • a cottony mouth
  • cottony clouds
  • cottony hair

It's that super slippery but matte cottony sort of feeling dry.

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Examples

  • Above his high forehead, the cottony mass of white hair was wildly askew.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • It's like very cottony laundry, but in such a good way.

  • In Mollendo, everything is round, cottony, and brown.

    Academic text (2007)

  • I liked the soft, cottony rumble of his voice when he talked, and I liked his quiet and thoughtful manner.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • The women were in soft, cottony dresses, the men in starched trousers and button-downs.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Marilyn Monroe smiled from underneath her cottony hair as if life were wonderful from where she stood.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • The fluffy kitten curled up on the couch, looking as cute as a cottony ball of fur.

  • The clouds in the sky were light and cottony, creating a soft and gentle atmosphere.

  • She wore a cottony sweater that felt warm and soft against her skin.

Synonyms

woolly
vscottony
12 3.0

Soft and covered with thick hair like a sheep

is lighter and less clingy in feel
pillowy
vscottony
3 3.5

Having a soft, full, and fluffy feel like a cushion

emphasizes soft fiber fluff rather than plump springiness
flossy
vscottony
6.3

Soft and light with a fluffy texture like down

is similarly soft but slightly denser and less airy
plushy
vscottony
4.6

Soft and thick like the fabric used for teddy bears

is lighter and airier, less dense and less luxurious
felty
vscottony
8.1

Soft and slightly fuzzy like a warm wool hat

is softer and has looser fluffier fiber structure

Compounds

cottony-white
4.9

Soft and white like cotton

How Fluffy

downy
4 4.2
cottony
2 2.7
woolly
12 3.0
fuzzy
44 1.1

Surface Forms

cottony positive

Morphology

cottony = cotton (transparent) = cotton + y

Standard adjectival derivation meaning 'resembling or having the qualities of cotton', which is directly inferable from 'cotton' + '-y'.

Etymology

Cottony comes from cotton, the soft plant fibre, plus the ending -y which means 'full of' or 'like'. So cottony literally means 'soft and fluffy like cotton', which is why we use it for clothes, fog, or fibres that feel gentle and cloud-like.