Downy
adjective /ˈdaʊni/ — Soft as down — light, gentle, and covered with fine softness.
Definition
Covered with fine, soft feathers or hair; resembling down in softness or lightness; gentle and soft in texture.
Beyond the definition
Downy captures the quality of extreme, gentle softness — the kind that doesn't push back. A downy surface yields completely to whatever touches it. The word has the warmth of infancy about it — down as the substance of nests and new things.
Origin & history
From down (Old Norse dúnn — the fine feathers of young birds). The feathers named for their lightness, the adjective named for the feathers — softness as the defining quality.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The chick had a downy covering that would harden into feathers in time.
The pillow had that particular downy quality — the sense of being received rather than supported.
Downy is not just soft; it is yielding — there is no resistance, only accommodation.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Downy” when the meaning fits your context: Covered with fine, soft feathers or hair; resembling down in softness or lightness; gentle and soft in texture.
Synonyms
fluffy, feathery, soft, light, delicate
Antonyms
rigid, firm, rough, coarse
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Comfort of Warm Shelter
An adult is curled up in a chair with a blanket and a book while rain streaks the window outside.
The blanket and the act of curling up in a chair evoke a downy quality of softness, lightness, and warmth. The cozy enclosure suggests a gentle, protecting environment that feels as soft and comforting as fine feathers.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Downy" mean?
Downy is adjective meaning: Soft as down — light, gentle, and covered with fine softness.. Covered with fine, soft feathers or hair; resembling down in softness or lightness; gentle and soft in texture.
Where does the word "Downy" come from?
From down (Old Norse dúnn — the fine feathers of young birds). The feathers named for their lightness, the adjective named for the feathers — softness as the defining quality.